


Outside Looking In

by AStandardName



Category: X-Men (Movieverse), X-Men - All Media Types
Genre: Complete, Drama & Romance, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-31
Updated: 2016-05-31
Packaged: 2018-07-11 08:41:21
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 62,678
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7041190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AStandardName/pseuds/AStandardName
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Logan/Marie. They meet in a lab and their story unfolds through different perspectives.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Outside Looking In

**Author's Note:**

> This is a straight up copy and paste of a story I put up on FF.net. With author notes and chapter headings included. Basically I couldn't be bothered individually posting each chapter.
> 
> Don't get scared off by the initial format, it changes chapter to chapter. 
> 
> Enjoy.

 

* * *

**Chapter 1: Chapter 1**

* * *

**Project:** Weapon 2X ****  
**Experiment ID:** #X016  
**Date:** 06/06/2000 ****  
**Overseer:** Dr Anna White (ID:443935) **  
****Project Objectives:** Two mutant subjects codenamed Rogue (Female, approx age 18, 5'4, brown hair) and Wolverine (Male, approx age 35, 6'1, brown hair). No personal background provided for either subject. This project has been established to provide a viable and deployable pair of weapons with enhanced senses, durability and teamwork for use as a military asset.

Subject Rogues mutation so far has not been completely identified, but appears through skin-to-skin contact is able to absorb a person's persona and their memory in a temporary 'imprint'. Beyond this she also drains the person's energy (either causing death or a long-term comatose state). So far second-hand data shows that Rogues absorption of the personalities and memories of her victims is short term (established as a maximum of six days). Rogue also is capable of absorbing the mutation of any given mutant for a similar time frame to varying effect. Second-hand data also establishes that the strength of Rogues absorption is based upon the time she is in skin-to-skin contact with a person. Due to her mutation Rogue will be issued a coverall jumpsuit to keep her covered from the neck down.

Subject Wolverines mutation is far easier to identify. This subject has enhanced healing to the point of near instant healing of any wound. Along with this, Wolverine also appears to have heightened smell, hearing and vision in low light (Note: Subject appears to suffer disorientation in bright light). As a finishing touch this subject also has two sets of three claws made out of a bone-like substance that protrudes from between each knuckle on his hands, retracting and extending seemingly at will from his forearm. Security will be notified of this and issued less-than-lethal weapons to keep Wolverine at an arm's length.

All relevant containment procedures have been forwarded from both subjects' previous holding facilities.

**Project Stages:**

· Stage 1: Identification and Processing

· Stage 2: Emotional Attachment and Bonding

· Stage 3: Mutation Transfer

· Stage 4: Processing and Testing

· Stage 5: Memory (still in R&D)

· Stage 6: Metallurgy

· Stage 7: Control and Containment

· Stage 8: Deployment

**Personal Project Log:**

This is the personal log of Dr Anna White (ID:443935). All log notes listed here are the informal goings of Project Weapon 2X.

**June 6th:** Having been given nothing particularly stimulating to do for some time the teams here have been rather excited about the upcoming project. The Colonels plan for a duo of near unkillable weapons to be deployed as a military asset is intriguing and has caused all sorts of ideas to be thrown around. Despite other candidates being examined the Colonel is very insistent about this duo being made our subjects for this project.

While the team and I think there could be better candidates we all agree the idea of duplicating Wolverines mutation onto Rogue and then proceeding with the 'Metallurgy Stage' would be an astounding accomplishment, but the more realistic (or pessimistic) of us see it as very challenging and fraught with pitfalls.

**June 8th:** Today we have begun our first stage. We have drawn up the schedule which should be being put into effect as I type this. The team talked it over and Dr Li's primary concern was measuring effective dosages of barbiturates, tranquilizers and sedatives on Wolverine. On the Rogue front we are merely testing the time frame and effectiveness of medical inhibitors (simple tranquilisers and sedatives so far) on the speed of the subject's absorption. Meanwhile Dr McManus's lab is working full speed ahead running genetic profiles of both subjects.

**June 11th:** So far the boring stage is well underway and I can practically feel the mutiny in the lab and I continue catching the lab techs doing tasks other than assigned work. But it can't be helped, the identification and processing stage is always the worst on morale. Regardless, reports from Sgt Stevens have come in giving us a baseline for Wolverines healing and we believe that with some modification from R &D we will have an effective sedative to use for long term procedures.

Dr Li believes that the absorption rate of Rogues skin is slower when she is sedated. This was based upon the comparative time taken to fully absorb shaved lab mice when drugged and when conscious. If this is the case this will provide us a much safer way to transfer Wolverines healing into Rogue beyond simply tying them together and hoping for the best.

**June 20th:** Dr McManus has provided a genetic profile of both subjects. Using blood extracted by the previous facility when Rogue absorbed a mutant's power, our resident geneticist believes Rogue is capable of a 'natural' permanent absorption of another mutation. Thankfully this will allow us to sidestep a solution to forcing long term absorption of Wolverines mutation. McManus thinks that despite lack of understanding of much of the mutant genome, there is some sort of 'power requirement' to permanently embed a mutation into Rogue's genetic makeup. On discussing this with Dr Li we both agree that if any subject is capable of providing that needed power, it is most likely Wolverine.

**June 21st:** Today we begin stage two. FINALY. Having competed a basic workup and baseline for both subjects mutations, the team is confident we can move forward. To that end both subjects have been moved into joint cell with covert audio/visual surveillance. Despite our belief that our duo will eventually cooperate we have told security to stand by to prevent harm coming to either subject in the event that either of them attempt to harm the other.

**June 23rd:** Dr Li and I examined the footage from the pair's joint cell today. What we saw was quite reassuring. After a period of almost skittishness from both subjects they began a dialog and introduced themselves to each other. Both subjects initially introduced themselves as Rogue and Wolverine but after a tense moment they each gave their legal names as Marie and Logan respectively (I have updated the file on both subjects).

Our psychoanalyst Dr Sinclair also examined the footage and emailed me alerting us that what we are seeing is very reassuring. Sinclair pointed out: Wolverines choice of bunk was the one closer to the door, he also place's himself in front of Rogue when security comes to provide meals. Dr Sinclair also notes that their conversation and 'banter' both point towards a forming bond of trust, albeit tentative at present. In our meeting Dr Li and I discussed a few methods to reinforce this trust.

**June 27th:** Dr Li and I both agreed to give the team a week off, while security caries out their instructions. So far it has worked quite well. Last night one member of security (ex-convict, hired for purpose) was instructed to go into the cell and sexually assault subject Rogue. He was given a tranquilizer gun with insufficient dosage to render Wolverine unconscious. True to plan, Wolverine killed the security guard defending Rogue. I am told what remained of him had to be hosed out of the cell. Meanwhile the pair has been relocated.

**June 28th:** In their new cell both subjects have become closer. From the footage I reviewed, the pair now shares the same bunk, although in a non-sexual manner. Wolverine sleeps with his back to Rogue whilst he himself faces the door. Dr Sinclair's latest notes suggest a deeper trust being formed as hinted to by the whispered conversation and the closer physical proximity. Dr Sinclair also noted that subject Wolverine expected Rogues first look at his claws would cause her fear. Instead Rogue shared details of her own mutation and explained the reason for her coverall jumpsuit and her fear of skin-to-skin contact. Sinclair believes that this 'acceptance of the others mutation' will be the main foundation for the duos trust to form.

**June 29th:** Last night we gave the security team instructions to load up on the grade two tranquilizers and enter the cell. Once inside the team tranquilized Wolverine rendering him temporarily unable to stand and began to beat him with their batons. They were instructed to apply minimal forced to Rogue if she intervened. To Dr Li's and my own joy, we watched last night's footage and were pleased to see Rogue attempt to defend Wolverine. In the end our production netted only a few bruises on the part of security (who I am sure will be glad for the time off they will receive). Dr Sinclair's post action review that despite Wolverines initial anger at Rogue for risking harm upon herself, Rogues own returned anger at his demands to just 'sit and watch him get beaten black and blue' impressed him on some level. Sinclair believes this is a good sign in establishing Rogue and Wolverine as equals. The pairs sleeping behaviour has not changed.

**July 2nd:** SUCESS. OK, so I am getting ahead of myself. On last night's footage, it showed Wolverine touching Rogue's cheek and inadvertently learning of her ability to absorb mutations. Wolverine then proceeded to offer to touch her whenever she is injured. Dr Li and I have already sent a request to security for them to go into the cell later under the guise of a random search with the goal of one security team to lightly injure Rogue. The team will come back to work tomorrow.

**July 3rd:** Despite the severe injury to one security guard, yesterdays little test was a resounding success. Dr Li's and my own excitement at seeing Wolverine touch Rogue to heal her split lip and bruised cheek was palpable. Unlike the records we watched of other persons being absorbed by Rogue, Wolverine shook off the absorption fatigue in a matter of minutes. Dr McManus assures us that Rogues healing will not be permanent, but agrees it is a step in the right direction. Spoilsport. We have arranged for Rogues blood to be drawn today.

**July 6th:** Dr McManus's examination of Rogues blood revealed that it is more than likely we can only permanently implement a single mutation into her genetic makeup. But if McManus's excited scribbling is anything to go by, he thinks Wolverine has sufficient power to transfer to Rogue. On a side note Sgt Stevens, (who provided a base line for Wolverines healing) brought up an anomaly in Wolverines healing when re-examining his procedures. When one of his staff applied a cigarette to Wolverines skin the burn naturally healed, but without the tan, leading us to speculate that burns may have an anomalous effect on his healing. We have arranged for Sgt Stevens to continue using heat and incendiary tools to test the subjects healing under the changed conditions.

**July 12th:** Sgt Stevens report suggests that while it doesn't affect his healing, burns still prevent some form of memory 'return to previous state' type effect. As Dr Li and try to put this into words we realised that we are still dealing with a very complex genetic mutation that has many facets. I passed this new information about Wolverines healing to the R&D team, who are apparently still struggling to come up with a way to wipe the long term memories of both subjects in stage five.

**July 13th:** R&D replied back, rather thankful (Dr Li thinks they were struggling to find a solution to the memory stage) and believe that with targeted immolation of a specific area of the brain, they can destroy both subjects long term memory, but without rendering them brain dead. Apparently R&D is backing this idea so much that they are currently working on an apparatus to complete this task. Dr Li and I are sceptical.

Dr Sinclair's latest report is promising. In it he suggests that the bonding of our subjects is deepening and has little doubt a sexual bond will form in time. Don't we just feel like matchmakers. Our office intranet now has a fake matchmaking website, much to the amusement of us all.

**July 14th:** With approval from Dr Sinclair, Dr Li and I are planning to move the project to the next stage. With a little tinkering from R&D we think we have a medication that suppresses Rogues mutation to 10% of normal absorption rate. R&D assures me they cannot make it any better without literally killing her. So today we have arranged the setup for the next few days, beginning with sleep deprivation for our subjects.

**July 17th:** Today with both subjects sleep deprived (mainly Rogue, but it still affected Wolverine), we tranquilized our pair. With a combined sleep deprivation/medicated fugue state, both subjects were stripped and placed semi-conscious together on the lab table. We allowed the absorption between Rogue and Wolverine to last fourteen hours before Wolverines vital signs began to waver. The pair is currently back in their cell. Hopefully when we undertake our testing in six days time Rogue will still have Wolverines mutation.

**July 20th:** Monitoring of our pair in their cell has revealed the two understand what happened when they were drugged. Rogue revealed to Wolverine that she has an 'imprint' of him in her head. Dr Li and I initially were worried as we had no idea of Wolverines background and were concerned Rogues reaction to his memories of this could cause all our efforts in stage two to be worthless. Our concern was needless, as Rogue told Wolverine that she found comfort in his 'imprints' presence in her mind.

Dr Sinclair believes that Wolverines initial profuse apologies for 'giving her his god awful memories' most likely only endeared himself more to Rogue. Sinclair also believes that their communication about Wolverines memories has brought them more trust. All information about Wolverine gained from the footage has been added to his file.

**July 21st:** Last night Rogue suffered a nightmare, one of Wolverines nightmares specifically. The footage Dr Li reviewed shows that after comforting her, Wolverine revealed that the nightmare of World War One was indeed his own. I was shocked to learn that Li's review of the footage suggests that Wolverine is at least old enough to have taken part in WW1 and that Rogues nightmare was an accurate depiction from Wolverines memories.

Dr Sinclair's take on the matter is that despite Wolverines nightmares afflicting Rogue the two appear closer for it. Sinclair notes that last night was the first night Rogue and Wolverine slept face to face 'snuggling'. God, we really have become a matchmaking service. To our surprise we have found that Rogues skin no longer attempts to absorb Wolverine. Dr McManus suggests Rogues skin may not recognise Wolverine's as a foreign body due to the shared genetic makeup. Either way this is one less issue to deal with in the deployment stage.

**July 25th:** Well outside the threshold for holding onto Wolverines mutation (six days), both subjects were today taken to Sgt Stevens. Stevens indicates that the absorption procedure has not slowed Wolverines healing. He also indicates that despite Dr Li's concern that Rogues different body type may cause a difference in healing; Stevens has shown that Rogues healing is on par with Wolverines initial baseline. The blood drawn today will be examined by Dr McManus's team; hopefully it will confirm what we are all hoping.

**July 28th:** After some initial technical mishaps (faulty lab equipment) Dr McManus has confirmed the permanent integration of Wolverines mutation into Rogues genetic makeup. The whole project team is ecstatic and Dr Li even brought in some champagne to have after hours.

Dr Li and I have agreed to a sixteen day hold period, to allow both subjects to normalize and after which we can retest the mutation for 110% confirmation. Neither of us trusts the blood work.

**August 13th:** Coming back from a break refreshed and the team is rearing to go. Sgt Stevens today reported that the healing of both subjects is still on par with the initial baseline. Dr McManus's reports rather snidely that the blood work has not changed. Dr Li and I remain un-humbled.

Dr Li and I spent most of the day reviewing memos and footage. One result that is entirely unexpected but nevertheless has left us pleased is security monitoring reported that on the 5th of August Rogue reported to Wolverine pain in her forearms. The next day (with several more exclamation points than necessary in their memo) the security monitoring team report that Rogue now has claws. Having reviewed this footage, Dr Li and I concluded... she has claws. Smaller slightly than Wolverines and made of the same bone-like material; Rogue now possess a female version of Wolverines claws. When I reported this to the Colonel he was very excitable and told me to inform the team that so far we have surpassed the projects expectations. The team was very happy to hear this in a sarcastic lab tech way.

Another unexpected note from the time we have been away is that Rogue and Wolverine have now begun a sexual relationship. I am not certain if relationship is the correct word for mutants, but it for all intents and purposes that is what it is. My inbox was filled with notes by different monitoring staff that they are required to mute the audio systems and focus on a book or some other distraction during the pairs 'extensive fucking'. Lovely language, but what do you expect from college drop-outs. I myself have watched the footage of their first sexual interaction, and the feminist in me is pleased to see Rogue taking charge during their first encounter.

Dr Sinclair's reports on the footage and the development on our couple have been rather tedious and read like an evil David Attenborough documentary. But the overall is Sinclair is pleased at the pace the two have bonded and believes that their trust and teamwork has made their personal relationships foundation 'rock-solid'. He also notes that with her claws and healing Wolverine no longer protects Rogue like she is weak, and the pair stand shoulder to shoulder when guards come to provide food or to take them for examinations or testing.

Addendum: Yes Dr Li, I have noticed that my recent report is rather informal. It's a personal log and I just got off vacation. Lay off.

**August 14th:** Dr Li and I today had a meeting with R&D who rather grandly unveiled their apparatus for the memory wipe. I must say it looks like it would be right at home in the dungeons of the Inquisition. Despite this Dr Li and I have given the go-ahead for stage five to begin tomorrow. Hopefully the procedure won't turn them into dribbling vegetables. Dr Sinclair has frequently and vocally expressed his excitement of observing the nature of both subjects without their long term memory in the hopes of seeing animalistic regression. Also someone has replaced Sinclair's email and database photograph with one of David Attenborough with a Dastardly Whiplash moustache. At the team meeting we voted to keep it.

**August 16th:** Both subjects went under the memory wipe apparatus today while heavily sedated. If it has done its job it will have immolated a very specific section of the brain which houses long term memory. And upon its healing it should become a blank slate. So far there is little to report except both Rogue and Wolverine are sleeping peacefully in their cell.

**August 17th:** Well Sinclair asked for animalistic. Upon reviewing the last day's footage, Dr Li and I conclude that both subjects have reverted to primitive mindsets. Their verbal communication appears limited and reminiscent of 'caveman speak'. The only thing I am certain that our couple remembers is their name, the others name and that they are in a sexually active relationship. Reports from security, in both guards and monitoring has asked for change of shift repeatedly since both subjects woke up and identified their partner and proceeded to have very loud and frequent intercourse. My own watching of the tapes caused a smirk in the feminist side of me when I saw the trading of dominance between the two.

Dr Sinclair is predictably happy. He informs me that the pair see each other as 'mates' both verbally and non-verbally. That they appear as perfect equals despite their physical size difference. He also noted that Wolverine is now happier to have Rogue jump first into a fight, citing the example of this afternoon's food delivery when Rogue attacked the security guard while Wolverine watched. Sinclair has amended his original expectations of the bonding of the two subjects to reflect that he now believes upon the projects completion the two will be an effective team.

Dr Li and I both agree to give the pair three days to make certain that their memory won't return.

**August 21st:** No new news from the footage, just an inbox full of complaints of traumatized security personnel. Perhaps we should hire more voyeuristic security. I would love to meet the HR person who has to put out that memo. Aside from that, Rogue and Wolverine have become more coherent verbally and are speaking in full sentences (admittedly Wolverines vocabulary was weak to begin with). But both still retain no memory beyond their cell, their names and their relationship.

**August 22nd:** Today Dr Li has a mild freak out when the consideration of birth control was brought up. R&D, Dr Li and I had a meeting to discuss contraception for our duo. Immediately condoms were ruled out. And Dr McManus has confirmed that in the latest blood work Rogue has out-healed her birth-control injections, but has reassured us that so far she is not pregnant. Thank god for small miracles. This is a good lesson in procedure for us here; we got too caught up in the project moving forward we forgot to see any pitfalls. The takeaway from that meeting is we all agree upon a surgical solution. I have contacted the Colonel and he has agreed to spare a small portion of the metal from the metallurgy stage (Adamantium) for surgical birth control purposes, although he was displeased that the two were engaged in a sexual relationship which he called 'unnatural'. In my opinion as long as they are not having sex with humans, it is not an issue.

**August 23rd:** R&D has worked all night to come up with a plan for the surgical solution for our duo. And although crude it is rather effective. The plan is simply to perform an approximation of a vasectomy (for Wolverine) and a tubal (for Rogue) on our subject's respective reproductive organs and seal them with adamantium to prevent healing. The adamantium will then be grafted to the pelvis to prevent their bodies from forcing the metal out (as it does with most foreign metals). R&D assures us that this is reversible in the event that Dr Li and Dr Sinclair's breeding control program idea is accepted. Although R&D admits the reversal procedure will be a messy affair.

**August 24th:** Both subjects are recovering after a successful surgery. Dr Li's review of the footage reveals that there has been no change in the sexual activity of our pair. It would seem Dr Sinclair's 'potency' theory is false.

Both Dr Li and I agree that moving onto the metallurgy stage should be put into the works. R&D is finishing up on their apparatus for deploying the adamantium and grafting it to the skeleton of both subjects. Dr Li and I will spend the next few days working up a schematic for the grafts. But before we begin the next stage I contacted the Colonel to confirm his plans for the control stage. He hinted to some form of mind-control serum but did not specify. I told him that giving our nearly feral subjects indestructible metal claws and bones is not wise if we aren't certain that the control-stage will work. I pitched Dr Li and Dr Sinclair's breeding control program to him, in which a child would be allowed to be produced between the couple and it would be held as leverage. The Colonel rejected the idea initially but thought it may have promise in the future, so much for distaste for their sexual activity. Regardless I was reassured that a control method will be here and working by time we complete the metallurgy stage. Dr Li and I are both hesitant to move forward, but we have decided to move forward as of tomorrow.

**August 25th:** Day one of metallurgy. Dr Li is getting the X-Rays done today to begin the schematics for the adamantium grafts. Dr McManus had it out with the R&D guys; apparently they weren't aware that Wolverines initial blood work showed slowing of healing when under sedation. The R&D team planned to have both subjects sedated when the adamantium was poured and grafted to their skeletons. Evidentially a miscommunication has occurred and R&D is modifying their apparatus to include restraints to hold both subjects still. Having two conscious near-feral healing mutants, submerged in heavy water, and having tandem surgery performed to pour and graft molten unbreakable metal to their bones; it's starting to sound like a joke.

To round out the day an email from Dr Sinclair stated he believes Rogues apparent spontaneous martial skills may be a holdover from Wolverines 'imprint'. But due to the memory wipe she merely attributes the muscle memory and reflexes as her own. Sinclair states that currently when she tries to fend off security guards she fights like someone the size and strength of Wolverine. I had a word with Sgt Stevens (formerly of Fort Benning) and he agreed. Steven's told me with Rogue under control she could with a short amount of time adapt Wolverines muscle memory to fit her size and increased agility. Dr Li has noted this down to be readdressed in the final deployment stages.

**August 29th:** Dr Li and I have completed our schematic for the grafts, with the added metal cap above the cranium requested by the Colonel (apparently it interferes with telepathic mutations). R&D has completed their modifications of the apparatus and they are starting teaching the lab techs how to use it. In their last memo they state that they do not know if the adamantium will change the performance of the restraints and have added a small tolerance just in case. The Colonel will arrive on the 2nd with the full adamantium shipment.

The monitoring of our intrepid couple has moved solely to the job of Dr Sinclair whose final assessment is that the duo has a strong bond that would be both beneficial and helpful when deployed in the field. He suggests the trust between the two would make them a formidable team, as opposed to two persons forced to work together. He does point out the downside that if forced to work alone, it could quite possibly interfere with the subject's efficiency. Regardless this project called for a team of two unkillable indestructible weapons. A footnote in Sinclair's report states that 'the close bond of these two will mean that a significant form of control will be required to make these two deployable'. Significant indeed.

**September 2nd:** The Colonel has arrived with the adamantium today. The lab techs are confident in their ability to use the apparatus. The bone graft schematic has been double and triple checked. The Colonel has reassured both Dr Li and I that his control method will work but has yet to divulge how or what his method is beyond hinting at a 'mind-control serum'. We have final approval from all departments on the procedure and we will begin tomorrow at 10am. The Colonel has invited some Pentagon brass to see the completion of the metallurgy stage. The man is like a giddy child playing with new toys. He even brought champagne for the brass and a set of matching adamantium dog tags for our lovely couple.

With all luck, tomorrow should be a great success...

* * *

AN (edited): This story has been swirling around for a while so I wrote this then convinced myself to expand it. The story has reached a conclusion for now but if there is enough people who enjoy the story I will continue onto another story arc. For now this is a complete story. I will change the summary and unmark the story as complete accordingly if I begin updating again.  
I should also point out to new readers, the format changes and the whole story isn't just this report style chapter. Don't get scared off.

Disclaimer: This belongs to FOX. I know, I too sometimes get confused for a large multinational corporation with the rights to huge comic book franchises.

* * *

**Chapter 2: Chapter 2**

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"Scott, what do you see?" came the voice of Professor Xavier over the comlink.

"Blood. Lots and lots of blood. And this place smells like the fridge in the garage" replied Cyclops through the comlink sitting in his ear. "Professor, it is definitely a smaller facility than we are used to. Maybe four holding cells."

"Scott, the remains of the lab equipment here; It's from really high grade stuff" piped in the redheaded Jean Grey over her comlink. "Whoever ran this facility, they were well funded."

"Copy that Jean. Storm, how we lookin' up top?" said Cyclops into his com as he dangled a bloody key card on a lanyard distastefully in front of his ruby visor. 'Sergeant Stevens, J', probably long dead he thought.

"No movement in any direction, it's just empty wilderness Scott" came the soothing voice of the white-haired weather witch Storm.

"Well, there isn't much we can do here. Whoever trashed this place stripped all the equipment and bodies. Whoever this blood belongs to is long gone" said Scott as he made his way carefully upstairs to find Jean. Opening a door to an office area Scott peer in through the low light seeing Jean prying out the screws of an upturned PC with her telekinesis. "Hey Jean. Find anything?"

"Whoever cleaned up was thorough. But I don't think they took the hard drive from this terminal. May give us a lead to what happened here" said the redhead not looking up. Finally prying the PC's case free with a triumphant 'ha' Jean dove into the circuitry to begin prying out the hard drive.

Scott looked about the room, noting the upturned desks, the smashed coffee pot, the blood spray on the walls and idly wondered who did this. "Jean, you think someone else is out there freeing mutants from facilities".

"Could be Scott... or it could be a cleanup, or maybe a rogue facility or some other cloak and dagger thing. No point speculating just yet" said Jean darkly as she pulled the hard drive free of the case and placed it into her bag. "Either way, we've done a full sweep of this place. Besides an overlooked PC terminal there is nothing here. Let's head home."

"Scott, Jean is right. There is nothing more you can do there. Come on home and we will see about trying to get some insight from that drive" came the Professors strong English baritone over the comlink.

"Copy that Professor. Storm, meet us at the Blackbird, we're getting out of here" said Cyclops as he and Jean made their way to the stairs.

As his X-Men reported they were in the air and making their way back to New York, Professor Charles Xavier sat in his wheelchair pensively looking out of his office window into the darkness. All his hours in Cerebro could bring him was the knowledge that someone from his past, someone powerful was once again creating mutant weapons in a facility in the Canadian wilds. Charles sat there cursing his own restraint. He should have entered that Generals mind. What good are ethics and principals if it takes weeks for you to scour a Generals financials, and piece together his movements? What good are those same ethics and principals if it prevents you from coming to the aid of one that needs it?

A dry humor broke over the bald Professors mind. Even if he had forced his way into that arrogant Generals mind and taken the location, he would still be brooding over the abandonment of his personal code of ethics. But Xavier couldn't help but wonder, what did that General mean when he accidentally projected the thoughts about the facility and the mutant weapons. Perhaps coming face to face with a leader of mutant rights caused the stray thought by memory association. But that is not how it felt to Xavier. He felt a personal connection in the Generals projection. What he felt was a link between him and the thought of whatever happened at that facility.

Hopefully an overlooked hard drive may provide clues, the Professor mused. "Hopefully young Miss Pryde won't extort another laptop and some shopping money out of me this time" he said with a chuckle as he wheeled himself back to his desk.

Professor Xavier would not sleep tonight. Not until his team were home and safe.

* * *

AN: So apparently this story is like my new drug habit. Instead of spending time working on my own stuff, I am going to just try to get it out of my system. Let me know if the dialog is too intolerable. It has never been my strong suit.

* * *

**Chapter 3: Chapter 3**

* * *

**Journal of C.F. Xavier  
** _September 1_ _st_ _2000_

When Jean and I left for the capital this morning I had no plans for anything noteworthy enough to write here for my future reminiscing. I still hope one day when I am old and utterly decrepit I can look back through the journals of my life and feel at ease. But I am not at ease. Not at the moment. During my usual goodwill tour of the capitals finer rubber-chicken dinners, where I usually must put up my front of benevolent schoolmaster and smile politely while I gauge those in power for their political intentions. Who would ever guess that politicians project so much.

The usual routine was in place, Jean and I moving around the room. Jean would say something deliberately provoking or some such to draw people's minds towards the subjects of mutants. And we would note those with harsh feeling and prejudiced thoughts for future concerns. I may stand by my policy of never invading the mind of another without their expressed consent, and monitoring their mental projections may be skirting this (as Erik would always remind me), but I suppose what worth is my principals and my honour if I am to be knee deep in mutant blood.

But I digress, while making our usual rounds Jean introduced me to a one General Herbert Adams. Adams a rather tall man and a chest full of medals worthy of someone who has not sat behind a desk his whole life. Before Jean even introduced me to a man I have never met, his mind was awash with projections. His thoughts turned darkened, with an underlying guilt. As I have had to repeatedly state to people, mental projections are not specific, just flashes. All I am certain I felt in his projections were thoughts of a mutant experimentation facility and somehow one of their test subjects and I linked. I also feel certain Adams felt the facility held power. I am unsure as to if to interpret that literally or figuratively.

Could I be projecting my own fears onto my very brief reading? All I know is somewhere in the snow is a facility with lost souls being experimented on like lab rats. In that moment I felt a rush of anger in me. I had a desire to gouge my way into this man's mind and take the location of the facility. I had a desire to crush his mind, wipe his memories and leave him in a world of his own fears. Erik would be pleased I still have these thoughts. But I am not like him. The only way forward is co-existence. I hope the mutants at this facility don't suffer for my vanity and pride. But I cannot embark on the same slippery slope as Erik once did.

As I write these very words Scott should be taking young Miss Pryde into New York to steal General Adams banking data. 'Hypocrite' Erik would shout. You make them use their gifts to do what you should have done. He would be right. But I fear my own gifts, more than either Scott or Kitty should fear theirs. I have always felt my gift is like a flame. If tempered and controlled it is a useful tool and can bring light and warmth. But if I look away, if I take a wrong step it will destroy all around me. Rather boastful if I don't say so myself. But I am not naive; I will not let the warm smiles of the youngsters fool me into thinking I am nothing like Erik. I still dream that old dream, the dream where I used Cerebro to remove every trace of prejudice from the minds of all life on Earth. You my trust journal are my confessor and therapist all in one.

I do hope Scott and Kitty will return successful. Perhaps they might find a gas station purchase or anything to narrow down the field or something to help me find these mutants. And what of the Generals thought that I am somehow linked to one of these mutants. Perhaps I am projecting my own impotence onto the memory. But I feel the projected thoughts of the General were brought forward by my presence, indicating that somehow I am linked to this facility. I should ask Jean her opinion. Two telepaths are better than one.

_September 3_ _rd_ _2000_

I am tired, and the X-Men are starting to notice. I spend hours of the day locked away in Cerebro searching for thoughts or abstract projections about a mutant experimentation facility. All I am left with is a feeling of failure and a headache to rival the worst hangovers of my youth. Damn my bloody pride. I should have carved my way into General Adams mind when I was staring him in the face. But now I can no longer find him. He isn't in the capital anymore, and I feel certain he isn't in North America. Erik would not have hesitated. He would have saved those poor mutants by now.

All I can think about is the possibility that I am connected to one of the subjects. I am not a young man. I have had many friends and acquaintances and I have lost track of many of them. When I try to sleep my mind shuffles through the list of people who it could be, and I feel ill. Two days in a mutant facility can be a lifetime of change. What if my delay has doomed a friend to losing their mind, or their limbs or their life? Will I be able to simply say 'I will save the next one' and continue on, or will the weight of the lives resting on me finally break me.

I am glad for the safe I keep these journals in, if the X-Men or my students knew of my thoughts, they would pity me. They would see me as a conman who smiles as I debate my ideologies. I cannot let those closest to me see my true self. I made that mistake already. Do not mistake me; I care for them all deeply. I just have no desire for them to know the toll my position takes on me. If I walk away, I cannot guarantee that mutant relations won't go downhill. I am not the only mutant advocate but I certainly influence campaign strategies for my fellow mutant advocates.

But I must not lose focus. The financial records Scott and Kitty procured have been helpful. The ever resourceful Kitty also took it upon herself to break into a FBI office and access TSA records. It would appear the General took a flight to Calgary where he rented a car. Scott's estimation of location by fuel consumption is somewhere near Jasper, possibly in British Columbia. With a smaller target area tomorrow I will attempt to scan around for a location on the facility. If all else fails Scott plans to take the Blackbird over the area and scan for thermal signatures. I am glad I have technically minded people as X-Men.

I am wound up. I need to sleep and begin anew with Cerebro tomorrow. Perhaps letting off a little steam in my journal will have helped me. I hope my next entry is good news.

* * *

AN: OK now that I have talked my stupid self into continuing this story, I am going to mess around with the format as I go. Sometimes in report or log entries. Or sometimes in dialog and narrative segments as needed. Let me know if the format gets a bit gimmicky. Thanks to the reviewer who liked report-style format, you know who you are.

* * *

**Chapter 4: Chapter 4**

* * *

**Post-Mission Report**  
Cyclops  
07-09-00  
Mission ID: 00214

The objective of our mission was a retrieval/rescue of mutant or mutants unknown from a facility approximately 120 miles NE of Jasper, Canada. Intel on the facility we provided by a mental projection from an Army General received with Professor X's telepathy. The search was narrowed to the 350 mile radius around Jasper through the Generals records. The Professor then narrowed down the search area by examining the surrounding mental noise of Jasper with Cerebro and picked up the projections of a group of hunters about a military convoy seen driving at high speed.

On approach via Blackbird to the area designated, we scanned using the thermal imaging camera and found the facility. Despite the cold and high altitude the facility gave off enough heat to be spotted from the air. The facility was small and remote, only a building with a guardhouse on the surface, with the rest of the facility below. I landed the Blackbird 200 metres from the guardhouse in a clearing near the road. Jean, Storm and I then made our way to the facilities entrance using extreme caution. Jean detected no presence of guards or personnel in the vicinity with a mental sweep.

Jean and I entered the facility while Storm remained on overwatch from the sky above. Immediately something appeared wrong. The floor was littered with spent shell casings for small arms. There was blood spray along almost every surface of every room, corridor and chamber in the facility. Despite this there was very little remaining in the facility. Jean decided to take a look at the first sublevel which at a glance appeared to be offices and work areas. Meanwhile I went down to the second sublevel where I found the holding cells and two experimentation rooms. There were four holding cells. Two single cells, two double cells (judging by the number of bunks in each cell). The cells looked plain, concrete walls, steel door (now with optic blast scorch marks). The cells appear to be used for long term housing, as each had a toilet, a small shower reminiscent of a decontamination shower and what looked like covert surveillance equipment in the walls and ceiling. Of the entire facility these cells were the only rooms I could not see or smell any blood in.

The two experimentation rooms were a different matter. There was a small one with a single chair with restraints, a drain and some work tables. The second experimentation room was larger, and had a viewing booth with a bullet resistant glass window. I think the viewing booth may have had computers or some equipment in there but has since been removed. The main room of the larger experimentation room also had two glass tanks in the center, side by side. Again this room had blood and upended tables around the room. In this room I found an ID card soaked in dried blood inside floor drain. The ID read as: 'Sergeant Stevens, J'. If I were to guess I would say whoever owned that ID card is dead.

After finding nothing of interest in the sublevel I went upstairs to meet up with Jean. When I found her she was removing a hard drive from an abandoned computer. Possibly missed by whoever emptied the facility, or left as it had no valuable information. Jean removed the PC's hard drive and we took it with us. Jean noted that pieces of lab equipment left in the facility was specialized and advanced. She identified equipment used in genetics research and haematology. At this point the decision was made to leave the facility. We rendezvoused with Storm who had noted no movement in the vicinity. We left the facility via the Blackbird, where I took a few flybys of the surrounding area to search for clues or people. None were found. Jean also pointed out once on the Blackbird that she found a server room. With everything in the room melted to molten slag. Along with this she believes that the amount of blood she saw would have had to have come from at least 10 adults.

All in all, entire mission was a successful failure. Our only hope of finding out what happened at that facility rests upon a hard drive someone didn't consider worth taking because the computer fell under a table. I believe that a search of Sergeant Stevens, J may lead to some clues but I am doubtful it will provide any information on the facility.

Once back home we all threw out our theories as to what happened at the facility. Storm is hopeful that the mutants held their escaped. Jean smells cover up. The Professor thinks that another more ruthless group may have initiated a rescue. Personally I don't know, but I think whoever was being held there, was valuable. The facility was small but state of the art. It was secure, remote and the cells were built to hold only a handful of mutants for a long amount of time.

_Addendum:_ I have been yelled at by Kitty to put it down in the mission report so the same mistake isn't made again and can be used as a learning device. She says and I quote "NEXT TIME BRING THE DAMNED RAM FROM THE MOTHERBOARD".

* * *

AN: Well, I have a new addiction. Apology to any Canadians, I put zero research into Canadian geography and went from memory. RAM sticks from PC's also hold a small amount of cached data. Haematology is the study of blood. Military operations measure distances in metres where possible (even US ones), but still use miles for some reason. One metre = 3.2 feet. If I get any mix-ups between British English and American English as I swap between characters, just look the other way. Please.

* * *

**Chapter 5: Chapter 5**

* * *

**Post-Mission Report**  
Storm  
07-09-00  
Mission ID: 00214

We flew to a mutant lab somewhere in Alberta, Canada. I flew above it while Scott and Jean searched it. I saw trees and snow. It was relaxing.

End of Report.

**Post-Mission Report**  
Jean  
07-09-00  
Mission ID: 00214

Scott: We agreed I don't have to do a mission report unless something medical happened. Nothing medical happened.

_Addendum:_ OK wiseass. Cyclops stubbed his toe in the locker room after we landed the Blackbird. I applied a kiss to make it better. Patient will require further treatments. Will continue to monitor patient's hyper-intelligent posterior.

End of Report.

* * *

AN: I have nothing to say.

* * *

**Chapter 6: Chapter 6**

* * *

It burned. Like a pain I would never have been able to comprehend. Being underwater as the men in white coats milled around, cutting me open. Then they pumped something into me that burned. But Logan was nearby. I remember his snarling shouts as they dragged us from our room. I remember his threats to unman the guards that touched me. I remember seeing his barely conscious form being lowered into a tank of water, the same as my tank. And I was comforted in knowing whatever was happening, we were together.

After the burning started I only remember pain and anger until I felt my head been freed of the restraints. I looked around and saw Logan through the murky green water. They just released his head too by the look of it and our eyes met. In that moment I knew what we had to do. Once the man in white released one of my wrists to inject me with something I shot out my claws. They were made of metal now, and reflected the dim lights. But I had no time to be concerned for the changes in my claws. I slashed the man in whites faces open. The claws went through him like butter. I then clawed at the restraints on my other wrists and ankles.

Grabbing a hold of the edge of the tank I pulled myself out, as guards approached me and men in white fled. I remember smiling as I saw Logan pulling himself out of his own tank with a dead white coated man clinging to the edge. It was all a blur after that, me and Logan and our metal claws against a dozen of guards. We won. These new claws cut through their weapons with ease. Once Logan and I were alone in the room with the two tanks he rushed over to me. Hugging me tightly he whispered sweet words I wish I could remember, but it was all so disorientating. Once my man reassured himself I was OK, I dragged him towards the only door in the room.

We made our way past our room and to the rest of the building. We killed everything that moved. Deep inside I know killing people is wrong, but they hurt Logan. They hurt my man. They hurt me. They had it coming. We got out into the air in the end. The look on Logan's face when he saw the fresh snow, and sniffed the woodland air, that I will remember until the end of time. So there we were buck-ass naked, hauling ass through the snowy forests of god knows where, and I didn't care. For the first time since I woke up next to Logan, I laughed. He did to. It's an amazing sound, deep and warm. He dragged me along behind him as we ran. We ran all day and all night. I barely felt the cold. All I wanted was a place to stop and curl up with Logan. Somewhere bad people won't find us.

So here I sit. In front of a fire Logan made in the mouth of a cave. He is lying on our bed of deer hide and ferns. He snores when he sleeps deeply. I didn't know that until he slept out of that place for the first time. I can feel what is left of our love-making running down between my legs. My mind can think of a few other descriptions for what Logan and I do, but nothing else fits. Perhaps love-making is too romantic a term for the passion we have, but I don't care. He told me I screamed his name so loud it probably scared off any wildlife and we won't have any food tomorrow when we go hunting. A fair trade in my opinion, and if the way he kept chanting my name over and over as he finished is anything to go by; he thinks it was a fair trade too.

It's only been a handful of nights since we left that place. Six I think. And since we found this cave to hole up in, I sometimes spend hours each night just sitting here. I like to think. Even if it's just going over what I know, what I remember. More of my mind comes back each day. Not memories, just understanding. Instincts I guess. Like I now am certain I knew how to cook. I am certain I used to wear a lot of clothing. I am certain I used to like snow. I like doing this, adding more to the list of certainties. Logan is mine, this I am certain. I woke up only knowing his name, and that he was my man, my mate, my lover and my friend. He remembered my name is Marie. I like it when he says my name. The others called me Rogue. They called him Wolverine. We were given dog tags with those names on it. We swapped. I wear his, he wears mine. It fits.

I'm sitting here and all I can think is how I know they are called dog tags. How do I know how to build a fire, but my name is remembered by Logan? How do I know I love him when I don't even remember how I define love? How the hell do I even know there are different definitions of love? Goddamn this drives me in circles. I need to get back to certainties. Logan. Me. Us. Marie and Logan. Logan and Marie.

But what about the claws? They weren't metal before. Maybe that's what they did to us in the tanks. I mean it makes sense. Went in with normal claws, came out with metal ones. Why would they give us metal claws? All they seemed to want to do was cut into us, to drug us and to beat us. There had to be a reason. Logan doesn't care. He is being the man, protect and provide mindset is locked in. We agreed I get to do the thinking for us.

Great, now I am staring at him. He didn't even bother covering up after I came to sit here by the fire when we finished cuddling. I love the way the fire casts shadows on his chest muscles. Makes me want to drag my tongue along them to wake him up and then attempt to scare off any remaining wildlife. No, better let him sleep... but that won't stop me waking him up with my mouth again. He likes that.

* * *

AN: Rather a spicey chapter. Might as well have this story earn its M rating. I seem to be just messing around playing with different formats. As before if it gets to jarring or gimicky let me know. If you couldn't put it together this was a first person soliloquy from Rogue.

* * *

**Chapter 7: Chapter 7**

* * *

"Come in Katherine" said Professor Xavier, looking up at his office door. Without bothering to open the door Kitty Pryde phased right through and walked timidly towards her headmaster.

"Um. You know it's still kind of creepy you don't let people knock" she said with a small tight smile.

"You show off your gifts, I show of mine" replied Xavier with a benevolent smile. "Now what did you have to show me?".

"Well, Jean gave me that hard drive you wanted the data off. And well, I hit a snag" said Kitty not meeting Xavier's gaze.

"A snag?" said Xavier jovially; fully expecting what was to come.

"Uh, yeah a small snag. See Jubilee has a shopping trip planned this weekend and a bunch of us girls are going and I spent all my allowance online for bits and pieces. Stuff I used to access the hard drive by the way. And um I was wondering if I could maybe have some money for this weekend considering the time I spent and..." said Kitty rushing and tripping over herself to get the words out.

"Take a breath child. Would say $238 be fair compensation for your work?" said Xavier calmly with a broad grin.

"That is an oddly specific price?" replied Kitty shrewdly.

"You were projecting very loudly. And personally I think the dress you picked online will look lovely" said Xavier, still smiling brightly at the shocked look on Kitty's face.

"OK. Deal. Everything I could recover is on here" muttered Kitty embarrassed as she pulled out a floppy disk from her pocket. "The drive had nothing on it. It was mostly kept to access the server and no files were meant to be on there. But thankfully someone was lazy and they stored a save of some of their documents before uploading to the server. But they never bothered to wipe it afterwards."

"Thank you Katherine. You have no idea how much this will help us" said Xavier taking the offered floppy disk. "But I have to ask: did you look at any of the files?"

"Oh. No. God no. I'm not an idiot Professor, I know where that drive came from, and I don't need any of that stuff in my head. Scott warned me, just grab what I can and give it to you guys" she replied with a look of distaste at the floppy disk. "I mean, once I unplugged that drive I went and formatted the PC I used in the Computer Lab."

Xavier chuckled lightly to himself as he placed the floppy disk in his desk drawer. "But as I said, thank you Katherine. I will make sure you have the money to get that dress weekend and I am sure you will have all those poor boys downstairs tied up in knots vying for your attention when you wear it.

"Professor!" cried Kitty blushing madly. "Serves me right for blackmailing a telepath" she muttered meekly as she phased through the floor, leaving the Professor to think about poor Robert and the surprises in store for him.

* * *

AN: A short dialog. I just realized that my first chapter is about 4-5 times longer than all the rest so far. If I'd have known then I was going to actually write this damned story I would have split it up. Oh well.

* * *

**Chapter 8: Chapter 8**

* * *

**Journal of C.F. Xavier  
** _September 9_ _th_ _2000_

Wolverine. The moment I saw that name in that file I knew I was right. The person that General Adams' projection associated with me was Wolverine. Obviously the Pentagons files on my association with Wolverine are more complete than I had realised. But in all my sleepless nights it was never the half-feral Canadian who I fretted over. And what they did to the poor man. His memories. They wiped them out, all of them. He won't remember me; he won't remember the week I knew him in the 70's. Those self-righteous bastards call him an animal. They took one of the noblest men I have known and taken all from him but his feral instincts.

But that isn't it. Oh no my dear confessor. They didn't just take his memories; they took the memories of a young mutant girl. Marie. They call her Rogue in the files, but they noted that Logan called her Marie. I hope Storm's theory that they escaped was correct. If anyone can do it, it would be Logan. I hope he and Marie are safe. If the writings of those who twist science can be believed Marie and Logan are intimate. When Scott read that section of the report he was already working himself up chastising a man he had never met for being intimate with a girl who is probably not even 18. But all I could think of was that Logan finally had someone to ground him to this world.

I don't think I ever wrote about Logan in my journals. I didn't consider book keeping being important in my youth. But to the best of my knowledge Logan was born in the early 1800's. He can heal from anything thrown at him (as Erik can attest) and has claws that befit his half feral nature. This man, I called noble. I do not throw that around lightly. He has spent decades roaming and spent decades fighting wars. But his agelessness and feral tendencies has always left him detached. What good is loving when they will eventually die? What is the point of raising children only to bury them? That is what kept him alone. And despite this, he never lost his inner moral compass. Who else but a noble man could spend a century alone and bitter but still had the heart to help a young telepath begging for his help.

That is the man a government thought was beneath medical ethics. All I have felt since I read that report was anger. I needed to be alone and confess my thoughts to my journal. And all I can think is 'what if Erik is right?'. I know you can 'what if' anything. But I have a school full of children sleeping soundly downstairs depending on people like me to make the right decision. No. Erik is not right. He kills and has become as heartless as those torturers and mad scientists that made me angry to begin with.

But back to Logan and Marie; they were forced into a cell. Marie was forced to absorb through her skin (her mutation) Logan's personality 'imprint' and healing. She even got his claws. Then they wiped their minds and covered their claws, their skulls and every bone in their body in supposedly unbreakable metal. The report I read was so impersonal, so removed from the implied torture and beatings. I knew Logan only briefly, but it wounds me to know my stalling may have indeed left him to horrible fate. I will not hide it from him when the time comes. But that is a topic for another day. Today we must find Logan and Marie.

I feel selfish in my thoughts. It occurred to me Logan and Marie (if the report is accurate) would make an excellent addition to the X-Men. I know, big picture problems. But I wish I could just want to save them completely altruistically. Not to ease a bruised conscience or to recruit them, but just because he deserves it.

Enough moping, I am not a teenager writing bad poetry any more. Logan needs to be found, I can give him all I know of his past (admittedly little), and I have the resources to find Marie's identity. They will also need therapeutic help to reintegrate their now shared feral impulses with their human social needs. I don't think Scott will cause any issues. It was a low blow, but I was forced to point out many considered his relationship with Jean to be inappropriate when it came to light. Now there they stand as the epitome of a healthy relationship. Scott eventually agreed, but was adamant if and when we find them; that if the relationship between Logan and Marie is improper he will not hold his tongue. That will have to do for now.

I do hope Logan has found someone to share agelessness with. I can still recall the projections of loneliness wafting off of him when he had been drinking. I just wish his meeting with now forever-young Marie was under better or at least more normal circumstances. Beyond that Jean was fairly indifferent to the relationship and was more concerned medically. Ororo thought it was rather romantic. She always did try to see the best in things.

That's it for tonight my trusty journal. No more gloom or misery or self recriminations. Tomorrow I roll up my sleeves and try to find a trace of two half-feral mutants with a telepathic resistance built into their skulls...in what amounts to the entire Canadian wilds. I always had high ambitions.

* * *

AN: My god does Xavier pour his heart out into his journal. I am fairly certain that this is not within the established character, but as FOX can't even keep a cannon straight, they are setting a poor example.

* * *

**Chapter 9: Chapter 9**

* * *

"Scott... honey. I don't know why you are being so unreasonable about all this" said Jean as she followed Scott into their bedroom in the teacher's wing.

"Look, I'm not being unreasonable. But when we find those two and bring them back here. I want the girl to know that she doesn't have to continue a relationship with a man because it formed under duress!" spat Scott back, his temper rising.

"But you are putting the horse before the cart. We have no idea what their relationship is like beyond some impersonal report. They were the only friendly face they each saw for months. And I can read between the lines. Wolverine protected her!" shouted back, equally angry.

"So what he protected her! He took advantage. And for all we know she is probably underage!" said Scott waving his hands about. "ALL I am saying is we make it clear to her, just because it happened in the facility, it does not mean it has to continue".

"Look. They have no memory besides each other. They trust each other. And they are both lethal. I just think it is downright STUPID to try to gain their trust by implying that whatever developed between them is unhealthy. I know if I was locked up in some hellhole like that I would want someone there for me" ranted the redhead as she paced back and forth.

"Jeannie. I am not condemning them for what happened in that place. But I just want to be sure that on the outside that she... that they aren't suffering for it" said Scott quietly as he took a seat at the end of their double bed. "I know we all want them safe and looked after, but what if it turns out Wolverines idea of a relationship is beating on Rogue?"

Jean took a seat slowly next to her lover. "Scott, those scientists at the facility; they may have been prejudiced and unethical. But I don't think they believe in bad record keeping. And nothing I read indicates either of them is at fault for what happened. And I honestly think it was just a case of two people needing each other" she whispered quietly letting out a deep sigh.

"God. I know baby. It's just... this situation is so fucked up I can't even tell right from wrong" said Scott as he slumped exhaustedly against his better half. "I get that they needed each other. I get that even if that was the plan of those asshole scientists, it still doesn't make their trust meaningless."

Jean wrapped her arm around Scott's shoulders and began playing with his hair and whispered into his ear "I'm not a psychologist. But the Professor thinks with that kind of trauma, it may be a very long time before those two trust anyone besides each other".

"I know. I get it. Really I do!" he said, smiling back at Jean's skeptical look. "I promise when we find them, I will lay off. But IF he is hurting her, that's a different story".

"What if it's her hurting him?" whispered Jean quietly as a teasing smile crossed her face.

"I... uh. How long have you been holding that card?" asked Scott with a raised eyebrow.

"Since you shouted at the Professor and told 'Ro she was delusional" she answered, smirking as she leaned into press her face against Scott's neck.

"And I walked right into it" said Scott with a defeated sigh. "OK, OK. Let's just hope we find them both safe then".

"You're just saying that coz' you don't want to sleep on the couch tonight" she sing-songed as she kissed her lover's neck. "Telepath remember".

"That's cheating" admonished Scott as he snaked his arms around the redhead. "Besides, I did mean it!"

"Nuh-uh! You gave me unrestricted access to your sexy brain. And I know you're thinking about how uncomfortable that couch is" whispered Jean as she lightly bit into his collarbone. Smiling with satisfaction at the groan it dragged out of him.

"No one ever called my brain sexy before" he said as he pushed her back onto the bed. "I kind of like it" he whispered seductively as he leaned over to kiss her ear.

"It's a good thing you have a sexy brain" slurred Jean lazily as she relaxed back into the mattress. "Coz' the rest of you was about to get knocked on your butt for implying women can't kickass too."

* * *

AN: You know in old black and white films. Where the couple is kissing and then the camera pans over to the curtains. This is kinda like that.  
Something about this whole story is starting to feel a bit off to me. I'd appreciate any feedback on the later chapters to let me know if this is worth continuing.

* * *

**Chapter 10: Chapter 10**

* * *

**To** : gen_bbuckman  
**From** : col_wstryker  
**Subject** : White Mountain Incident

Sir,

Regarding what we spoke of the other day. I regret to inform you the White Mountains Project has resulted in failure. So far as best we can establish there was a breach in containment and both subjects fled the laboratory after murdering all its onsite personnel. I also regret to notify you that the corpse of General Herbert Adams was found at the facility. I know he was a personal friend of yours and I have had my staff run over with the particulars for you to deal with the cause of death and cover-story.

For my own part Sir, the only reason I am able write this to you is the happenstance of being ordered away from the site moments prior to the break in containment. I know the business we are in and understand the suspicion this throws on me so I have taken the liberty of contacting General Price who can corroborate the orders. Beyond Adams, the only other casualties of note were Generals Fisher and Williams and their personal staff. I have had my office handle their causes of death and cover-story. As Fisher and Williams were long time friends I think a simple lost in the wilderness while hunting will suffice.

Regarding the facility, I have ordered a full documentation recovery and photographs for the files. But all physical evidence has been destroyed. I can say with all certainty that the only things left in that tomb are the bloodstains. We recovered all movable lab equipment and personal work terminals, all other equipment was destroyed. The on-site server was too large to move so we melted it down with thermite. All corpses of personnel were recovered. We were only able to bring back a limited number of the victims to US soil. We cherry picked those with more public profiles such as noted doctors or such. All others were taken to be destroyed via the usual means.

As of now our two subjects remain at large. We are working with Langley in finding the two, but so far we have found no reports of either of them returning to the grid. All tasked satellites have provided no intel. I must stress that going forward, these subjects are nothing more than mere animals, and will behave as such. I think simply putting out a flag for persons in the vicinity being wounded or killed by deep lacerations. I have instructed my office to be on the lookout for animal attack in the area also as local authorities may confuse the savagery of our subjects for that of a bear or mountain lion. It is my belief that our two subjects will not remain together. They are lone hunters and don't operate on pack-mentality.

Now as to the matter of reassignment, Sir I must stress that I disagree with the decision. I am fully prepared to find our escaped subjects. We have sunk a large amount of time and money into them and I believe ' _leaving them as a problem for the Canadians_ ' is foolish. We could still capture and use one or both of them. I understand the containment failure at the facility has made me unpopular on the hill, but do not let this sway your judgement. Sending me to deal with paltry political matters in the Middle East is a waste of my abilities. I request permission to continue the search for our missing subjects. I feel certain we were on the cusp of having a powerful asset at our disposal.

Regards,  
Colonel William Stryker M.D.

_[Note: This email has been encrypted automatically by Pentagon Email Service]_

**Attached Files:** white_mountain_program_main **/** cleanup_photo1 **/** cleanup_photo2 **/** cleanup_photo3 **/** lab_roster **/** cover_list **/** subject_wolverine **/** subject_rogue **/** lab2_photo **/** corridor1_photo **/** corridor2_photo **/** office1_photo **/** office2_photo **/** entryway1_photo **/** cost_analysis_doc **/** white_mountain_personal_logs **/** non_disclosure_agreements **/** press_release_pack

* * *

AN: I want it on record that the email addresses were actually Pentagon email domains before FF (seriously I can't even put FF dot net?) cut them off. Also all of the attachments had file extensions and looked way better the way I had it. So try to imagine the photos had dot jpg afterwards, and all the rest were assorted docs, pdf, xml and txt files. All I have else to say is: eh, I'll keep going, I'm havin' fun.

* * *

**Chapter 11: Chapter 11**

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Another night, another fire. It's been a week since I last had time to sit and think. We've been moving so fast, and barely having time to hunt and eat. We've been exhausted. I like this cave we found. A nice bed made up of the hides from our dinner, a small fire pit and good protection from the outside chill. I know neither of us feel the cold, but I find being warm comforting. He made me a blanket out of a bear. My man fought and killed a bear so I would be comfortable.

He is asleep on our bed again. I find it funny. Sex makes him fall asleep, it makes me wired. I wonder if we were always this sexually charged. Or does it have to do with what the people in that lab did to us? I like to think whoever we were before, we still spent our nights driving each other to the brink of insanity and relishing our lover's pleasure with a wild glee. I have no proof of this of course, but I don't care.

I've added to my list of certainties. I am now certain Logan is smarter than he gives himself credit. He likes to think I am the brains and he the brawn. But I know better. Something buried away inside of him is deeply intelligent; perhaps I just need to coax it out. But a selfish part of me likes his reliance on me for decision making. We have been talking the last few days about perhaps finding a small town. We remember things. Not memories. But ideas, like clothing, cars, fast food and hotels. I think he is scared. He is afraid of losing me, or of me not needing him. Bless him. I think I am always going to need him, and he will always need me. It may not be healthy or sane, but at least it's fair.

He noticed the other day I move like him. I thought it was a compliment, but he was actually pointing out I am too small to move like him. I should try being smaller and more agile when I move and when I fight. So far the only thing we have had to fight is wildlife. And after we walked into a den of wolves and I came out rather bloody, I think Logan is right. I need to move quicker, not stronger. I actually tried to lift up a huge wolf and throw it against a tree. It worked for Logan but why not me. Well I am not six feet of muscles. I'm like five and a half feet of curves. I need to move more. But that's a job for another day.

Logan and I both had a nightmare last night, both about the tanks and the green water. It took us a while to calm down and stop shaking. After we relaxed a little we fucked. Well it certainly wasn't making love. I think that is the most primal and sexually aggressive we have ever been. I actually scratched his face halfway though just because I wanted to. He just grinned and threw me against the cave wall and kept thrusting into me. It was definitely rough, but I think it was good for us. Catharsis. I just hope I don't have to have that damned nightmare to get a repeat performance. This morning he was a little skittish. He thought he went too far, I didn't.

When I came I accidentally let my claws out into his shoulder. I'm not going to mention it, but I think that worked for him. I should note that away for later. Tonight we had very slow sex. I think he was trying to make up for last night by trying to prove he can be slow and gentle too. It wasn't the same mind blowing pleasure rocketing through me as my vision faded for a few moments, but it was good. Good, not great. Oh god what if I was one of those really kinky people, who likes being dominated. Is that bad? I don't know if that's bad. I mean I really liked it. And he likes it when I take charge. Perhaps we are just wired that way. Damn I don't know, I guess all I can do is take what I enjoy doing, repeatedly if necessary.

Oh, that's one more certainty. I love it when he wakes me up with his mouth; licking me, suckling me, all of it. It's not being fucked roughly against a cave wall in the middle of nowhere, but the end result is still the same. Definitely a certainty! Best part is I think he likes it; I think he gets off on it. Win fucking win. Goddamn, sitting here thinking about sex has got my all turned on. I know I should let him rest, but I can't help myself sometimes.

Even as I am talking myself into waking him up and ravishing him his hand snake around my belly from behind. Curse his sneaky-ness.

"Can smell you darlin', all hot n' bothered" he whispers sleepily into my ear as his hands travel up to cup my breasts under the bear pelt. "Want help with that?" All I can do is nod dumbly as his strong fingers gently knead into my now aching breasts.

His fingers wrap around my sensitive nipples and twist lightly. A small squeak comes out of my mouth as I decide I am just going to sit here and let my man work me into madness. As one of his warm hands trail down my belly and over my naval into the slightly damp brown curls between my thighs all I can think of is: thank god for letting me have these moments.

His fingers gently play with my moistening entrance, as his other hand gently works my breast. His lips attach themselves to my neck and he slowly sucks red welts into my skin as he moves down my shoulder. God this feels good, but enough teasing. I take the hand between my thighs in my own hand and press it hard against my core. He takes the hint and lets his two thick fingers burrow deeply inside me.

His lips work their way back up my neck and nibble at my earlobe as his fingers start pumping their way inside me. I can't help the gasps and soft moans escaping my lips but Logan just takes it as encouragement and speeds up his movement. His hand on my breast has long since stilled, but is now making its way down.

He bites down on my earlobe as his other hand meets my center and starts to stroke my sensitized nub. Meanwhile his other hands thrusts have become frantic. I reach back my hands and grip his knees to stop myself flying away.

Both arms wrapped around me, one working in long sharp thrusts into my core the other rubbing fast circles around my clitoris. My panting and gasping is filling up the cave. I just stare into the fire and watch the flickering flames entrance me as he brings me higher and higher pleasure.

His teeth bite into my shoulder, drawing out a long deep moan from me. His hand rubbing circles is practically a blur as the other pumps roughly into me. With each pump of his fingers I rock back into Logan. I can feel his hard chest against my back. I can feel his hot breath on my shoulder as his tongue soothes the bite mark he left there.

"C'mon babe. Come for me" he whispers seductively into my ear as my cries become shouts as my voice begins its crescendo. I wish I could say loving words to him, but I can't get the words out between the desperate sounds coming out of my mouth.

My whole body tenses as I let out a high pitched whine and I am floating. I can feel my body spasming, but all I really notices is the waves of pleasure rocking through me. His finger's inside me still as my core pulses around them. His hand keeps rubbing slow soothing circles. He is good at this part, keeping me at the peak for as long as he can.

I can see my vision go dark and Logan is somewhere whispering words to me. Probably something sweet, but I can't focus on it. The waves of pleasure are receding, and all I can hear is my panting breath and the fire crackling. Logan's hands have stopped now, and just remaining comfortingly between my thighs as I come down from the blissful high.

I can hear his chuckle as he removes those thick fingers from my channel and examines the proof of my pleasure coating his hands. And all of a sudden I feel weightless and I think I have actually gone and floated away. But no, it's Logan; he picked my boneless body up and is carrying me to our bed.

He is laying me down gently and tucking in my bear pelt around me and for a man who looks like Logan does, it must be quite a sight. But I don't care, I can already feel sleep coming. Wasn't he the one who gets sleepy after sex?

I'm not going to spend long worrying over that though. I'm almost asleep now. He is lying down and snuggling into my side, holding me in his arms. I am falling into the dark of a dreamless sleep and I hear Logan whisper lightly into my ear "Love you Marie".

He's never said it before. I smile.

* * *

AN: Well that was something I was dreading. But as sex scene writing goes, I think it came out OK. But I had the thought the entire time I was writing it 'this is too tame and too sickly sweet'. I think I accidentally changed tense and perspective a few times in this chapters. So once again look the other way.  
Also Chapter 5 now has new content.

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**Chapter 12: Chapter 12**

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**Journal of C.F. Xavier  
** _September 15_ _th_ _2000_

Everyone has been busy as of late, especially poor Kitty. She has been running herself ragged to access secrets of people best left alone in an effort to guide our search. But, I think we have almost found them. Now strap in decrepit and old Charles, while I tell you a story.

It began with another rubber-chicken dinner I could not convince Jean to let me skip in favour of spending the night in Cerebro searching. In hindsight I was glad she did. So another Washington gala, another room full or powerful people with powerful secrets they keep projecting at the top of their lungs, all except for one man. This man was rather tired looking General keeping to his self in the corner angrily projecting nasty thoughts. I approached him alone under the guise of 'getting away from the handshakers'. The name patch neatly sewn onto his uniform said Buckman.

Throughout our short conversation I steered the subject towards mutants. With very little input from me, his mind was awash with projections. The flashes I received were basic but to the point. Canada, Failure, Colonel Stryker, Mutants, Cover-up. Now North America is a large place and I am not so naive to believe that the facility my X-Men raided was an isolated case. But I still had an instinct this man was angry about something to do with Logan and Marie.

But my dear journal, this is where I come to confess. I didn't just read his projections. I entered his mind lightly. Only lightly and took the information Katherine would need to access his emails and personal files at the Pentagon. I do not feel guilty. And that is the worst part. I feel relieved that we have a way to find my friend.

All I can think is this what Erik felt when it first started? Did a single act, where the end justifies the means cause his entire structure of internal morality to crumble around his ears? I am not going to lie. I broke my own code; I confessed my sins to my X-Men, who forgave me without question. Yet I feel torn inside. General Buckman will never know I took from his mind his login details of classified Pentagon files. But yet I feel like I failed. I feel like there should have been a way to get to this point without breaching my own code.

What would Erik say? Would he be laughing at me? Probably not, he was my friend and he would try to console me. We may be enemies but the loss of a thing like your self-respect is something he can appreciate. I know I wrote last time that I would have no more gloomy musings or self-indulgent angst but I need to get this out. I Charles Francis Xavier, did the one thing I swore never to do; I abused my gifts.

To rectify my guilt I hope to see Logan and Marie soon.

_September 16_ _th_ _2000_

The talented Katherine Pryde has had success. She tells me she was greatly careful and only took what files from the Pentagon servers she could. She also printed out a copy of General Buckman's email correspondence. She did all this from an internet cafe in Manhattan where she and Miss Lee spent a good $400 on clothing. I fear the world may not be ready when Kitty grows up.

But with Kitty's help we now know the Colonel mentioned in the files from the hard drive Jean recovered in Canada is indeed Mr William Stryker (who is no longer a Colonel). I have heard the name before; he is an anti-mutant supporter and is supposedly quite talented at running covert operations. It would seem Stryker went rogue after his superiors refused to let him recapture Logan and Marie. Even without the US Governments considerable resources he is not a man to be taken lightly.

Kitty also retrieved the full files on what was known as Project White Mountain, which puts a lot more detail into the procedures done to Logan and Marie. Jean has been going through them exhaustively, and if her anger is anything to go by I think she would very much like to meet Mr Stryker in a dark alley. Scott is keeping his head, but I can sense the anger rolling off of him when he read what they did to Logan and Marie. It would seem he no longer fears Logan being a bad person for Marie to be involved with. He now seems more concerned with just saving them. It is good to see Scott returning to his element. Thus far Ororo refuses to read the reports, and steadfastly wishes to retain the image of a romantic meeting between Logan and Marie. She knows it is foolish, but I think as long as she is aware of that fact, it causes no harm.

But the information that paid off the most was a small comment in one of Buckman's emails about leaving the Canadians to deal with the pair. It was this that led to Scott, Jean and Kitty breaking into a RCMP auxiliary office in Calgary. It would seem local Park Ranger's have noticed remains of large animals being left to rot in the open in British Columbia. Scott plotted a map of all the locations and I think we can see where Logan and Marie have run to. While Kitty was in the RCMP building she was kind enough to drop off a package to the onsite director containing the detailed files of Former Colonel William Stryker and his goings on in Canada.

I am not so foolish to think the Canadians do not have their own secret projects running somewhere tucked away. But do not underestimate the fury of the Canadian RCMP when they think the US has threatened their sovereignty and citizen (which incidentally Logan is). I do hope a post-it note with Stryker's current address will suffice. But those Mountie's are quite good at their jobs, and the will find him in the end. As Erik learned back in '79; never mess with our quiet Canadian brothers. They take it personally.

I feel better today, knowing that my actions against Buckman have not been for nothing. I have told Jean to monitor me to make sure I do not go making other rash decisions. She found it amusing but nevertheless agreed to watch over me. It is comforting to have a safety net.

* * *

AN: Few things. First of all the RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) are the Canadian equivalent of the FBI (USA), MI5/Special Branch (UK), ASIO (Australia) and so on. And they do not like being messed with. Second, I am worried I am making it seem like Xavier is going evil. Fear not, he just has a lot to deal with. Thirdly, anyone who is active in this fandom and would be willing to suggest a good Story Image to use I would appreciate it if you could PM me a link. That is all.

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**Chapter 13: Chapter 13**

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**Post-Mission Report**  
Cyclops  
17-09-00  
Mission ID: 00217

The objective of our mission was the retrieval/rescue of two mutants, name Logan and Marie. Based upon gathered intelligence we knew, neither person has any memories past the last month. The two are in a relationship and that they were at least part feral. The location of the search area was determined by intel gathered from the RCMP who had records of Park Ranger reports. We identified all recent anomalous sightings such as dead carcasses or sightings of people or encampments. To this end we narrowed the search area to a thirty square mile zone which we planned to scan for thermal signatures at low altitude. The low altitude would also allow Jean to scan for telepathic signs of life. But it should be noted we were made aware prior to the mission that both Logan and Rogue had metal encased craniums to prevent telepathic interference.

Once in the air, it took us approximately four hours to find a heat signature. This signature was a thermal trail caused by what I appeared to be a cooking fire. As a team we decided that landing too close to Logan and Marie's encampment would cause issues. So we landed three miles away and after a thirty minute hike we came across both Logan and Marie. Their encampment was a small cave with a small cooking fire in the mouth.

When we approached the encampment I saw Marie looking directly at us as she stood over the cooking fire. Moments later immediately to my right I saw Logan appear through the underbrush with his metal claws drawn and holding a defensive posture. Jean began to open a dialog with the two feral mutants. Despite the cold, both Logan and Marie wore only animal hides. I did note that the hide covering Marie from the neck to the knees was that of a large Kodiak bear. Logan himself wore less, mostly only covering his legs and groin.

After Jean defused the situation and after Logan stood down somewhat, Storm, Jean and I introduced ourselves and our reason for approaching them. To illustrate our trustworthiness I showed Logan and old black and white photograph of him and Professor X from when they knew each other in the 1970's. It appears the news that both of them are ageless surprised them as we told them a simplified version of what we knew about them and their imprisonment. At several points during our conversation around the fire Marie drew her claws and growled menacingly at either Storm or Jean. Though she did admit with embarrassment it is an involuntary reflex either of the two X-Women looked at Logan. Logan had no such reflex in regards to me looking at Marie. But he remained distant, and only asked short brief questions.

I think despite the palpable mistrust both Logan and Marie held against us, I feel we gained some ground. Jean laid out the Professors offer to both Logan and Marie. In response they agreed to talk about it. Initially I thought they were brushing us off, but then Logan told us to meet them back at the same cave in a week. I was hopeful that another planned encounter means that the duo has not discarded our offer yet. Before we left Jean offered medical assistance, which both Logan and Marie visibly recoiled at. Jean however apologized profusely, not realizing that a doctor's exam may make the pair uncomfortable.

Before we left Logan took me aside. Initially I was concerned and was braced for an attack but instead he asked me if it was his fault Marie got hurt in the facility. This surprised me. I had no prepared answer. But for the only time in the two hours we were together I saw what I think was fear in his eyes. In the end I could only answer the truth: I told him that it was the fault of the men in the lab. I also told him that as long as he protects Marie it will mean the people from the lab will have lost. He made a snide remark about Marie not needing his protection, before nodding and heading back towards the cave.

After I saw Logan make it back to the cave I met up with Storm and Jean and we made our way back to the Blackbird to return home.

I should note before Jean has it added to the report: I was loudly and verbally chastised on the return flight for my poor handling of Logan's question by both X-Women.

_Addendum:_ I am still an asshole who should have been more sympathetic to Logan and I need to change my login password from Jean's bra size.

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AN: If you are wondering where Logan's typical swagger is. From his point of view he has only been around for a month. Give him time.

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**Chapter 14: Chapter 14**

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While Logan tended to their small fire Marie put away the leftover cold meat for food in the morning. The couple worked in tandem to turn down their campsite for the evening. Logan began bundling a few more small branches onto the fire as Marie lay down on their bed.

"You comin' to bed sugar?" she asked deliberately letting her bear hide wrap slip down around her belly.

Chucking and moving over to sit next to his mate Logan untied the loose knot around his deer hide trousers letting them fall to the cave floor. "Bit frisky tonight darling?" he drawled slowly as he plopped himself gracelessly on the bed.

"Mhm" she said as she wrapped her arms around her mans neck. "Got an ache only you can make go away" she whispered sultrily into his ear as she nuzzled her face against his side.

"Babe. What's up?" he asked pulling back to look her in the eye.

"What do you mean?" she said trying to close the distance again.

"Today. With Red and White and the claws?" he said rolling his eyes as he recalled the two X-Women. Marie's face colored red as she recalled the events earlier in the afternoon.

"I dunno. It was like... every time they looked at you I wanted to prove that you were mine. Does that make sense?" she said quietly, her gaze lowered in embarrassment.

"Yeah I get it. You have no idea how much I get it" he said drawing Marie onto his lap. Logan then started nuzzling into her cheek with his face. "Every time that one-eye guy looked at you I wanted to open him up and show him that you were mine".

"Then why was it just me acting like a whackjob?" she asked pressing her face back into Logan.

"Darlin' the way I see it. I didn't want to go burning any bridges until I knew what was on the other side. If it was just me alone I probably would laid one-eye out. But we got to do what's best for both of us" he answered levelly as his hands dragged along her skin slowly towards her breasts. "Besides seein' you staking your claim... kind of made me hot."

"Mmm I know. Could smell it" she whispered as she ground herself down onto his growing manhood. "I guess we have some trust issues to deal with."

"In the morning sweetheart, coz' for now I want to make you scream my name" said Logan quietly as he lowered his mouth to Marie's shoulder and began nibbling. With one hand Logan tweaked one of Marie's nipples, while he lowered his other to her curl covered womanhood.

Cupping her mound in his hand Logan whispered "Call me sugar again darlin'. I really like it when you say it". Marie let out a long moan as Logan slowly dragged his fingertips along her damp center.

"Beg me. Beg me to say it!" she said as she rocked her hips down onto his hardness.

"Please. Please darlin' please" he said desperately as he continued his ministrations.

"Will you let me take you? Will you let me have whatever I want?" she asked slowly as she ground her mound into Logan's hand.

"Yes yes yes. Anythin' babe" he answered desperately.

"Then throw me against the wall and fuck me. Fuck me senseless. Make me forget our worries until tomorrow" she whispered equally desperately. "No gentle. No soft. I just want to feel us."

"Deal" he said impatiently grinding himself into her as his hand dragged ragged pants out of her.

"Then get to it... sugaaaar" she drawled sexily into his ear. And he did.

* * *

AN: Just a short dialog. Will be finished from Marie's perspective next chapter. All I can think at the moment is why did I pick two main characters who's dialog is generally irritating. You are just going to have to imagine Marie's southern accent and pretend Logan learned to enunciate.

* * *

**Chapter 15: Chapter 15**

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One word: sugar. All it takes to send my man into a sexual frenzy. And by god am I going to say that word often from now on. The moment I let that word slip from my lips he lifted me whole and slammed my back into the cave wall. I felt my bear hide slip to the ground as he spread my thighs open and rested them on his forearms. I asked for it, and I am certainly receiving. I can feel his fingers digging into my ass, and if I didn't have his awesome healing I am sure there would be Logan sized handprints in the morning.

So here I am pressed into the cold rock, with sexual gratification personified standing between my legs and all we are doing is staring into each other's eyes. God I love his hazel eyes, but right now those eyes aren't going to fuck me senseless. So I reach down and take his hot and hard member into my hands. I watch happily as he sucks in air through his teeth as I give him a few hard strokes. But enough foreplay, I need more. I lower his leaking cock-head to my weeping center. I groan as the head sits itself tightly into my channel. But he's stopped moving. He is looking me in the eye. He wants my approval, because he doesn't want to feel guilty in the morning.

What's a girl to do? "You promised sugaaaar" I say sweetly as I look him dead in the eye. It would seem that alone is enough approval as in one sharp movement he thrusts himself deep into my core. I let out a long whining groan to match his deep grunt. He rocks his hips back slowly and then rapidly fills me again with a hard thrust. My eyes flutter for a moment and I am not sure if it's because of the pleasure of my mate's cock inside me, or if it is because my head just bounced off the rock. But I don't give a good goddamn. I wrap my arms around his hips with my hand on the top of his tight ass. He slowly draws out of me and I grip his ass tightly pulling him back into me hard.

We've got our rhythm now, he draws out and I pull him back in. He shifts his forearms lower down my thighs raising them higher and spreading my wider. I'm sure someone would find this vulnerable, but I have never felt more powerful. He latches his mouth onto mine and we swirl our tongues in a rough duel for dominance as his hips pick up speed. I am no longer drawing him in, he is now in the driver's seat, and I get to enjoy the scenery.

The gasps and moans bubbling up through me are muffled by his hot mouth locked against mine. I can feel his hot breath coming out of his nose as he breathes deep. I breathe deep through my nose too and I can smell our combined scent. I can smell it all. The scent of our fucking, from his cock churning me up, the scent of blood from where my back is scraping against the rock; I can smell it all. It's intoxicating, the smell, the feel of his lips, his hot breath, and his hard cock pounding me into the wall so hard I think I can hear metal clanging every time he enters me.

He drags his mouth away from mine and kisses his way to my ear. "God you're so wet Marie" he whispers hoarsely into my ear as he rains kisses along the shell of my ear. His hips pick up the pace again. My eyes follow a drop of sweat down his forehead, over his nose and chin and into his chest hair. I shift my arms to around his neck, trying to grip against his sweat soaked skin.

"C'mon sugar. Harder!" I cry out to him as he slams himself hard into me. I don't think I can even make a coherent sentence with the rapid moans I am letting out. He's making that sexy growling noise that vibrates his chest. God I love that noise. I try to tighten my thighs to give him leverage, but I don't have the strength. He doesn't care for a second, his cock pumping deep and hard into me over and over. I can feel my ass scraping against the rock face with every thrust. I can feel his hands grip my ass so tight I think the skin is going to tear. It's all so much, so many sensations. So much pleasure that I can't focus. All I can do is hoarsely scream out my pleasure repeatedly as he draws me closer and closer to my finish.

Oh god. He let me drop down a few inches. And what a difference that makes. He isn't thrusting as deep but with every pound of his flesh against mine his pelvis scraps hard against my throbbing clitoris. I can feel it coming. I am practically screaming now, but he continues to pump and grind me with no mercy. All I can think of is, I asked for this. I drop my arms limply around his hips again. I have no strength and I am totally at his mercy. All I can do is hope he drives me where I want so desperately to go.

"M' close baby. Let go" he whispers into my ear between loud grunts. 'Let go' he says. God I wish I could. But I can't not until he goes. We go together, in all things. Awesome cave wall fucking is no exception. I've got no voice; all that is coming out is soundless gasps. I feel myself let go as I feel him thrust into me one last time. My hips arch hard off the wall, so hard I think I was about to knock Logan over backwards. My voice halts and my vision fades out as I feel my orgasm rush through me like lightning up my spine. I feel him twitching and letting loose deep inside me, filling me with warmth.

Logan stifles his grunts by biting into my collarbone. It feels so good. But I am too dazed to take any real note. I look down and absently notice my claws got loose again and left six bloody gouges down Logan's side. If the rapid beat of his pulse point and twitching of his cock is anything to go by, he doesn't mind. As the wave of my pleasure finally recedes I feel Logan's knees give out and we slump sideways onto the cold floor.

All I can hear is the pounding of my blood in my ears and Logan's panting breaths. I slowly retract my claws while I look at him sheepishly. But he doesn't say anything. With a groan Logan stands slowly on wobbly legs with my thighs still wrapped round his hips. Staggering slowly over to our bed, he drops down onto his back and we thump unceremoniously down on our bed. I have no words, my mind is blank. All I can focus on is the feeling of his member softening inside me and him lazily covering us up with my bear pelt. My eyes are getting heavy and I can feel his heartbeat beneath me.

"I love you sugar" is all I manage to say before sleep overcomes me.

* * *

AN: Another sex scene. Hope it works. If anyone thinks I'm going a bit far on the sex in this story let me know. And if anyone can think of non-cheesy euphemisms for clitoris I will forever be grateful.

* * *

**Chapter 16: Chapter 16**

* * *

"Alright One-Eye, we've decided to go with you. But we have conditions" said Logan standing just outside the cave entrance with Marie at his side as he stared down the X-Man flanked by his two teammates.

"Of course what's the conditions?" said Scott, looking between Logan and Marie.

"First we stay together no matter what. Second, the first sign of you doing something suspicious and we're gone. Third, you try to help us find out who we used to be" piped in Marie with a resolute look in her eyes.

"We agree" said Jean cutting across Scott who had been thinking over the proposal. "But I have one thing. You two are going to need some clothes to wear."

Both Marie and Logan looked at each other dumbfounded before looking down at their makeshift animal hide clothing. "What's wrong with this?" Marie asked.

"Don't worry too much dear. People have different points of view on acceptable dress. Trust me, it's just easier to go with the flow" said Storm kindly meeting Maries gaze. If these two had their memory Storm was sure they would have called her on her all leather X-Men uniform, but she need not tell them that.

"OK. Clothes fine" said Logan gruffly keeping his eyes trained innocently on Scott. "So how do we get out of here?"

"We have a plane" said Scott, his voice filled with pride. "It's a beauty, and it'll get us back to the mansion in two hours".

"Mansion?" said Logan and Marie in unison.

"You didn't mention a mansion" said Marie her voice filled with surprise. "You might have mentioned that. Would have made a better sales pitch." Logan and Marie exchanged smirks at the looks of the confused X-Men.

"We didn't want to make you feel like we were bribing you" said Jean softly.

"It's all right, we're just teasing" said Marie as she smiled gently. "So which way to the plane?"

"Before we go, we have one more thing" said Scott pulling on his 'leader-face'.

"Here we go" said Logan rolling his eyes. "Told ya. Strings" he whispered to Marie, who rolled her eyes at him.

"Behave" muttered Marie with a quick smile to Logan. "What's the 'one more thing' Summers".

"Last time we explained the mansion is a school for other mutants. Well schools have kids. And before we leave, we want your word that you won't harm any of the students" said Scott looking between the couple in front of him.

"It's just a formality type thing" blurted out Jean in a rush to ease the tension she felt building.

Marie looked at Logan, not expecting his response to be any different to her own but more for the sake of it. Logan nodded lightly to his lover. "We agree. But I think would be best to have us stay somewhere out of sight" she said quietly. "We need to work on us for a bit."

"We understand" said Jean smiling. "Lots of people who came to Xavier's school had difficult times before they came there. It really is the perfect place to normalize yourselves".

"Xavier. He's the guy who says he knew me?" said Logan suddenly showing interest. "The one who said we don't age?"

"Yes. Charles Xavier. He runs the school. He told us not to tell you until he had a chance, but he is worried about you" said Storm in her soothing voice. "And he doesn't like losing friends".

"Friends?" said Logan half choking the word out in surprise. "Me and this Xavier guy were friends?"

"We don't know much, but he said you and he were friends" said Jean looking to both Storm and Scott for support.

Seemingly appeased by their answers Logan said "OK, show us the way to your beauty of a plane one-eye", with a smirk to Scott.

"Follow me" said Scott with a long suffering sigh.

* * *

AN: Another dialog. I know, it's becoming a habit, but I couldn't think of a way to get the tone of this meeting right using the other styles. Once again I am sorry to any Canadians I offended with my research-less depiction of your nation.

* * *

**Chapter 17: Chapter 17**

* * *

**Mutant_High_IRC :**

Joobee: Hey Kitkat, you up?

Joobee: Hellooooooo?

Joobee: Kitster?

Kp_icequeen: What!?

Joobee: Did you see the new arrivals?

Kp_icequeen: No?

Joobee: OMG you should have seen the muscle guy...

Joobee: ...total sex on legs...

Joobee: ...and wearing tight jeans...

Kp_icequeen: He's hot and you're horny. Got it.

Joobee: Aw c'mon I was just having fun.

Kp_icequeen: So?

Joobee: So what?

Kp_icequeen: So who were the new arrivals?

Joobee: Oh that. No frickin' clue. Jean told me to rack off before I could get any gossip.

Kp_icequeen: You really are the worst gossip in this place. And that's saying something.

Joobee: Oh sure, I'm bad... little miss hacked Bobby's LiveJournal to stalk him ;D

Kp_icequeen: I retract my remark.

Joobee: You bet your ass you do.

Kp_icequeen: So the new guys?

Joobee: Oh right. Big sex dude and little chika. Chika growled at me when she saw me staring at sex dude.

Kp_icequeen: Ferals?

Joobee: I dunno. But the girl is hot in cute kind of way, but is wearing real baggy clothes.

Kp_icequeen: OK. Where'd Ms Grey take them?

Joobee: Ms Grey? Seriously Kit, just call her Jean on here. But I don't know. Teacher's wing I think.

Kp_icequeen: Interesting. Maybe sex dude is a new teacher?

Joobee: Ooooh. Maybe I can get him to teach me _physical_ education.

Kp_icequeen: Ew Jubes.

Joobee: Maybe if I make friends with the little chick she will put a good word in for me with sex dude?

Kp_icequeen: Always an optimist.

Joobee: Aw c'mon, don't pretend you don't want to suck on Bobby's ice lollypop?

_Kp_icequeen has signed out of chat._

* * *

AN: IRC is a old online chat network. LiveJournal is some pre-Myspace social networking website that was around in 2000... and I had to look up. If you can't figure out who the two people chatting are: Joobee is Jubilation Lee and Kp_icequeen is Katherine Pryde.

* * *

**Chapter 18: Chapter 18**

* * *

Jean just showed Logan and me to our room. It's nice; at least I think it is. It's hard to tell when I am going off of instinct. We're the only two on this floor. I can hear what I would guess are students starting to mill about downstairs. But that doesn't bother us, they are far away. The room has a huge bed in the middle, and it looks softer than anything I can remember sleeping on. I guess it says a lot about me when all I can think of is how great the sex will be on that bed. The room has one window that looks onto a forest of some kind. It's also large enough to escape through. I feel better knowing there is another way out of the room.

Logan busy is opening and closing cupboards and looking under the bed. The closet has a few plastic bags of what looks like more clothing, Jean's idea probably. I am still a little freaked out that my skin can kill people. Jean told us that is why I was picked for the experiments. I guess the whole poison skin thing is the reason for the baggy grey hoodie that is about three sizes two big. But at least I can touch Logan all I want. In your face you evil lab sickos. And damn does Logan looks sexy in those tight jeans that Scott gave him. To the right of our new bed there is an open door, it leads to our new bathroom.

I decide to explore our new home and check out the bathroom. Logan follows me in but is stopped in his tracks by the same thing that I am: a mirror, a full wall length mirror. I am just standing there stupidly staring into my own reflection. I think Logan is doing the same but I can't be sure. My eyes roam over my lips, my nose, my cheeks and my chin. I think some part of me is a little disappointed that I am not prettier. I wonder if my old self had self-image issues. I decided to break away from staring at my face for the first time and look at Logan in the mirror. He is doing the same thing I am with one of his most intense gazes. His eyes meet mine and I can hear him let out a breath he was holding.

"I look older than I thought I would" he said to me quietly. "I thought we would look more the same age". I feel sad, not because of what he is saying but because he thinks it matters. He may have only just seen his face for the first time, but I have seen it every day I can remember.

"I thought I would be prettier" I say to him calmly. I can tell by the way his eyes snapped back to mine that I got the reaction I intended. Without words he wrapped me up in his arms and pulled be backwards into his chest and nuzzled his face into my hair.

"You are the most flawlessly beautiful woman there is Marie" he whispered quietly to me. "I look older than I would have liked; not for me, but so it doesn't cause you any trouble". He kissed my hair and my head rubbed his hand up and down my arms soothingly. I smile at his words. How can a man who claims to be unintelligent say such a compliment like that so easily. I giggle a little. He doesn't want people to talk about us and our relationship behind our backs.

"Sugar... who really gives a shit. I don't care how old you look because you and I are going to be together for a very long time" I say back to him with confidence. "And guess what, in fifty years I am still going to look like this!" I say to him as I grind my ass back against his crotch. That finally made him smile, about time. We don't have time for moping about. I have poison skin and will have to start wearing clothes to cover every inch of my skin from the neck down. He looks older and makes our relationship look odd. Who cares? I don't.

"Now instead of worrying about what other idiots think about stuff that doesn't concern them. How about we take off these damn clothes and fill this room with the scent of our fucking... sugar?" I ask him meeting his gaze in the mirror warmly. It took him less than two seconds to make up his mind and I can already feel his hands tugging at my sweatpants and dragging them down my knees. Before I forget, I need to add a certainty to my list: spontaneous sex really gets me going.

My sweatpants are discarded on the floor and he is hoisting up the front of my hoodie exposing my breasts to the fresh air. He places both hands on my shoulder and pushes, guiding me forwards to the countertop in front of the mirror. The anticipation is already making my head spin. I can feel myself getting wet as he holds my hips in place with one hand and bends me forward with a gently push on my shoulder. I can hear him unbuttoning and lowering the zipper on his jeans. I meet his eyes in the mirror and I swear that man has the most evil smirk on his face. Oh boy is he going to get it later.

Before I can even begin to think of ideas for my future revenge he grips my hips roughly with his hands and thrusts himself deep into my wet core in one quick movement. A loud groan escapes my lips. With Logan's considerable girth impaled in me and with little foreplay I feel full to the brim. I heard Logan growling playfully behind me as he used his feet to gently spread my legs further apart. I gripped a hold of the faucet and the edge of the countertop bracing for what was to come.

"You OK darling'?" he asked me, meeting my reflected gaze in the mirror. I nodded my head and smiled brightly. I may be feeling full right now, but in a few minutes I am not going to know my own name. Taking his cue Logan drew his hips back and with all the force he could muster thrust himself back into my channel. The force of the thrust was so much my heels left the ground and if it weren't for me holding onto the countertop I would have gone straight into the mirror. Again he drew back, but without holding this time he thrust deep again.

It didn't take long for us to find our rhythm. As he thrust forwards I would throw my hips back, with each thrust dragging gasps out of me. I can hear Logan grunting and mumbling words behind me. But I am too busy staring at his chest, watching the sweat form in the lines between his muscles. Each time his hips snap forward to meet my ass I feel utter bliss. I can feel the hair on his belly grazing against my ass each time we meet. I can feel my lungs tightening because the air I breathe in between moans just isn't enough. But I don't care, that's not important. What is important is the feeling deep inside my belly every time I feel his cock push deep into my core.

I see Logan bend forward and latch his mouth onto the nape of my neck. I can feel him sucking red welts into the skin there. I am too busy feeling his cock to notice his hand snake around under me and grab my breast roughly. He kneads my breast hard enough to leave bruises if it weren't for our healing. His fingers grip my nipple and twist in time with each thrust. His mouth is making its way down my shoulder. All I can hear is Logan's muffled grunts mixed in with my pleasured cries and the sound of sweaty flesh slapping together echoing all around us.

His hand on my breast seems to get bored and makes its way between my thighs in search of new sport. Over my shoulder I can see Logan staring intently into my eyes as I feel his fingers find my clitoris and begin rubbing circles in time with his harsh thrusts. My cries of pleasure have upgraded to screams. I am dizzy. Everything but Logan has moved to the background. All I can feel is him and each inch of his cock as he pounds me against the countertop. I am close, I can feel it. I hope he is too, because I don't think I am in a position to hold off.

Before I can complete that thought Logan groans long and deep and spasms quickly. Moving in and out at such a pace he must be close. "Please, please, please sugaaaaaar!" I beg between each loud scream of pleasure his cock forces out of me. I hear one final grunt and I am floating. I feel the ball of pressure behind my bellybutton release and I am riding hard waves of bliss. I am distantly aware of the warmth Logan is filling me with. I can feel his teeth digging into my shoulder. But none of that matters, all I can focus on is the wave of pleasure crashing through me. My legs feel weak and I feel them give way, but Logan holds me up.

As my mind comes back to my surroundings I realize Logan and me haven't looked away from each other. We watched each other climax. I wish I could remember. I must remember next time to make him finish first so I can watch. But right now, next time seems a long time away. I feel Logan slip out of me and slowly let the weight return to my legs as I stand up with a slight wobble. "Goddamn sugar" is all I can say with a bright smile. I don't care for problems or worries right now; I just want to go bask in this afterglow on our new bed, together.

I take his hand and lead him to our new bed. I get in under the comforter and he slides in after me and pulls me into his arms as we begin to relax. I feel my limbs giving in after that workout and I can still hear Logan's heart beating a loud tempo in his chest. He chuckles lightly and says "Ya know, we've been using sex to avoid worrying about stuff right?"

"Yeah, but it lets us relax. Let's not mess with that" I reply smiling to myself. We have a long time together to deal with our issues and our worries.

"OK" he tells me calmly as he nuzzles his face into my hair. "But I love you. Don't matter to me if we're dealing with our shit, or making love. You relax me" he whispers into my hair. That makes me smile. But I have no time to think about his words, because right now I am well-fucked and about to succumb to exhaustion.

* * *

AN: I can't tell if this chapter is dull or not. It could go either way. Let me know what you think. For the record I am not against sex as an emotional aid, provided there is some other stuff mixed in there with it.

* * *

**Chapter 19: Chapter 19**

* * *

**Mutant_Hight_IRC :**

Joobee: OMG KIT!

Kp_icequeen: What?

Joobee: They're fucking!

Kp_icequeen: Who is?

Joobee: The new dude and the little chick.

Kp_icequeen: I thought you said he was older and she was our age?

Joobee: Well obviously that doesn't seem to bother them...

Joobee: And holy shitballs are those two loud.

Kp_icequeen: Were you spying again?

Joobee: No. I overhead Jean say she took the new guys up to the top floor on the teachers wing, so I went to introduce myself.

Kp_icequeen: Oh god you didn't walk in on them did you?

Joobee: What? NO. I didn't need to. I could hear them from the stairway. That tiny girl has some lungs on her lemme tell you.

Kp_icequeen: TMI Jubes.

Joobee: I guess it shows there is hope for us after all.

Kp_icequeen: How so?

Joobee: If a girl who looks like us can get herself some of big sex dude, there is hope for us finding our own big sex dudes.

Kp_icequeen: What if I don't want a big sex dude?

Joobee: Don't be stupid Kit. All the boys around here are so scared of behaving like normal horny teenagers they don't even bother trying to get into our panties...

Joobee: Our only hope of a rockin' sex life is some older guy.

Kp_icequeen: They're not scared Jubes. They are just behaved.

Joobee: Kit, you ever heard one sordid tale of sex and debauchery around this place?

Kp_icequeen: Not really sordid. Some kissing I guess.

Joobee: Exactly. Half these kids are so afraid if they act out Xavier will kick em' to the curb.

Kp_icequeen: But he wouldn't do that!

Joobee: I know. After all the shit I've pulled he still smiles at me.

Kp_icequeen: You mean like the chandelier?

Joobee: HEY! No fair. You promised not to talk about that.

Kp_icequeen: Sorry J, couldn't resist.

Joobee: I just wish some of the guy's would let loose and act like the horny bastards I know they are!

Kp_icequeen: It's hard, I guess they don't want to rock the boat.

Joobee: Who gives a shit about the boat, when I'm thinking my only choice for a reliable sex life is some older dude.

Kp_icequeen: Maybe just slow it down and start with just kissing or something?

Joobee: Fuck that noise. I think this place need a bit of a shake-up coz' I want to start hearing sexy noises at night and seeing awkward looks in the morning around here.

Kp_icequeen: Jubes... what are you going to do?

Joobee: No idea yet. But when I figure it out maybe you can finally pounce Bobby without being afraid of looking like a tramp.

_Joobee has signed out of chat._

* * *

AN: Another short chat log to get me in the swing. Also I wrote this as my answer as to why a high school full of students was so damned wholesome.  
Also did you know I can see viewing statistics by chapter. And did you also know that the dirty chapters of this story have 8 times as many views as visitors when all the rest have between 2-3... have a think on that ;)

* * *

**Chapter 20: Chapter 20**

* * *

**Rogue's Diary  
** _Anyone found reading this will be clawed!_

_28_ _th_ _September 2000_

OK. Here goes. I had my first session with the Professor today. Therapy he called it but we spent a whole time just talking. Well mostly me talking, him smiling that calming smile that I really wish would annoy me but doesn't. Anyway he told me perhaps I should keep a diary or a journal or whatever. I thought he was joking until he told me he keeps a journal. Says it makes a good outlet. The only catch is you have to be totally honest. At first I was just going to take this leather-bound book and put it on the shelf and ignore it; but Logan said it might help me. So here we are: me spilling my secrets into a book, and Logan has gone off to run around the forest for a bit to give me space. He said something about being alone might make it easier on me.

I wish he wouldn't be so damned considerate of me sometimes. Then I could be angry that he suggested I do this stupid diary thing. OK, so I don't really know what to write here, so I will start at the beginning.

My name is Marie. About two months ago I woke up in a cell with a man named Logan. Neither of us have any memories before that day. The only thing I remember is his name was Logan. He could only remember my name was Marie. The people keeping us captive were bad people. Because we are mutants they were doing experiments on us to turn us into weapons they could use. I woke up in the cell first; and I spent a good long time staring at the man on the ground in front of me. I traced his face with my fingertips and ran my hands over his shoulders. And I knew he was mine. Part of me knows that sounds possessive and creepy but I don't give a damn. Because Logan is mine, and guess what when he woke up; turns out he thought the same about me. I am his.

Well it turns out both me and Logan had claws made of bone or something. We could also heal from anything those bastards keeping us captive could throw at us. And believe me, it was a lot. Once we came to the mansion and Jean and the Professor laid out everything they knew to Logan and me we realised that we spent only two or three months in that cell. And we probably only had memory of about one month. It felt like longer. I know the whole passing of time thing is a cliché, but really; it felt like a lifetime in that cell. And the thing that scares me is it wasn't all bad memories. Sure they cut us up and beat us and poured boiling metal into our bodies but the time when the left us alone; that was nice. Logan tells me he thinks it's OK to think of the good times; to remember that they couldn't take everything from us.

As Logan and I found out they did a whole lot of stuff to us we didn't realise. For example I forgot I had poison skin. That was my original mutation. Now I have poison skin and kickass healing. I am getting used to wearing long sleeve shirts and gloves now, but it was really weird at first. Logan was angry that they wanted me to keep covered up; he says it's not my fault if someone touches me. It is sweet he is defending me, but I honestly don't want the 'imprint' or whatever of every Tom, Dick and Harry I bump into on my way to the kitchen. I guess I got lucky on the poison skin front. Because of what those assholes at the lab did to us I can touch Logan all I want. And damn have I touched him, like all the time. You know that possessive stuff I was talking about, well that seems to translate into phenomenal sex and insatiability with us. Just another thing those fuckwits at the lab gave us by accident. Oh and that part about the boiling metal. Yeah, we now have metal claws and metal running along every bone in our body. Unbreakable metal. So not only do we heal like crazy we now have unbreakable metal running throughout our bodies. I want to meet whatever stupid bastard thought that was a good idea... then I want to open his chest cavity.

Jean showed me the files. During the time in the lab I got an 'imprint' of Logan in my head and when they wiped my memory all his knowledge and experience became mine. I guess that explains why I occasionally catch myself swaggering about like I am ten feet tall. It makes me wonder how much of me is really me. I wonder what old Marie was like. Did she like caramel ice cream too? She probably did because Logan likes chocolate ice cream and if anyone but me ever catches him eating it, he will probably kill them.

So yeah that's me. Poison skin, unbreakable bones, metal claws and super healing girl whose knocking boot with a big muscle-y Canadian named Logan. Oh yeah about Logan; he is over a hundred years old. He was in World War 1. The Professor told me he knew Logan back in the seventies for a week or so. He says he hasn't aged a day since. So that was kind of when it finally sunk in, with Logan's healing; both of us are going to be forever young. _(Why does that phrase tickle my memory)_. I know I should be freaking out about the whole immortal thing. But I'm not. I will deal with it as it comes. And at least I won't be without company for the rest of my life.

The Professor mentioned quietly to me that he thinks old Logan (before the memory wipe) was lonely. I guess I can understand that. Imagine being immortal. What would be the benefit of settling down with a wife and kids if you just have to bury them in a few decades? God that must have been awful for Logan. Is it wrong of me to think that it may be a good thing he can't remember those empty decades? Am I a bad person for being secretly happy that he never found a wife and had a family so it could be me? I don't want to tell him. I know he will probably say something sweet and tell me not to worry over it, but I don't want that absolution. I think at this point Logan could forgive me of anything and I don't want to abuse that. Maybe the Professor will be able to give me a straight answer.

Oh right. Back at the lab they called me Rogue and Logan was Wolverine. We thought those were experiment names or something. Turns out they might be mutant names or whatever. Everyone here has them. Scott is Cyclops. Ororo is Storm. Jean is 'bitch stop eye-banging my man'. OK that is unfair, she didn't eye-bang Logan. She just walked in on him working out in the gym downstairs. But I still got angry at her about it. I think I need to put up a warning on the bulletin board 'Any Females looking at Wolverine may be clawed by Rogue as an involuntary reflex!'. That reminds me, everyone here calls me Rogue. I know it's kind of silly but I like that only Logan calls me Marie. Of course Logan was a smartass and told me he is going to just go by Logan as Wolverine doesn't roll of the tongue very well in conversation. I told him Wolverine is indeed quite a mouthful and then went about proving it.

_List of things to talk with the Professor about next session:_

· Poison skin

· Immortal

· Am I a bad person?

· My issues with women looking at Logan

· Who was old Marie?

· Stories about Logan

· Ask how Logan's session went

* * *

AN: Forgive the bad syntax I was trying to write it as if someone was actually writing it down as they thought about it. Some professional counselors have their patients bring in a list of things to talk about at each session. Also for those not keeping track of the dates; this entry takes place about four days after arriving at the mansion.

* * *

**Chapter 21: Chapter 21**

* * *

Marie decided that Logan's session with the Professor should be finishing soon and that she may as well go meet him outside Xavier's office.

"He won't mind" she said to herself with a smirk as she pulled on her new black leather gloves and headed out of her room to find Logan.

Marie was about to sit herself in the comfortable arm chairs outside of the Professors office when she heard singing coming from the room. Shaking her head in disbelief she took a cautious step towards the office door.

_"How do you do young Willie McBride, do you mind if I sit here down by your graveside, and rest for a while beneath the warm..."_

Deciding she wasn't imagining the singing, Marie opened the door slowly and peeked her head in. What she saw left her jaw hanging low. There sitting on the couch beneath the bookcase was Logan, and an empty bottle of rum on the end table next to him. Opposite the coffee table was Professor Xavier, with an empty glass and a half empty bottle of scotch. Both we're droning out the slow melody into the quiet office.

_"...I see by your gravestone you were only 19, when you joined the great fall-in in 1916, I hope you_ _died well and I hope you died clean, or young Willie McBride was it slow and obscene..."_

As Marie watched in amazement the unlikely duo continued their slow drunken dirge. Despite the oddness of the situation, Marie couldn't help wonder if Logan liked to sing.

By time the pair finished their rendition Logan looked up and locked eyes with Marie. He beamed a broad drunken smile.

"Hey darlin'. We we're just about to pack it in" said Logan slurring quietly. "Didn't 'spect you to come pick me up".

"You boys look like you're having fun" said Marie as she stepped into the Professors line of sight. "But Professor I don't recognize this form of therapy" she asked innocently to a grinning Xavier.

"My dear Rogue, I tailor my therapy techniques to each individual" he said managing not to trip over his words.

"And you thought the 'get Logan plastered and sing' technique would be the best choice?" she said barely able to hold in her giggles.

"It was either this or go to a local bar and provoke a fight with some delinquent youths. But sadly many local bars aren't wheelchair accessible" he replied with a deep chuckle.

At this Logan slumped back into the couch and let out a long deep laugh. "Don' worry Chuck. I'm sure next time we can go find some bad guys to roll" said Logan trying to catch his breath.

Marie noticed the tears of laughter rolling down Logan's cheek and realized perhaps the Professor's therapy had some merit.

"Roll, Logan? Was that some subtle jab at my wheelchair?" said the Professor in a serious tone that may have given off the impression of being offended if it weren't for the schoolboy grin plastered across his cheeks.

"You're in a wheelchair?" asked Logan in an equally serious voice as he locked eyes with the Professor. Both men maintained the eye contact until the both broke down sniggering.

"It truly is good to see you again Logan" said the Professor genially.

"And it was nice meeting you" replied Logan with a smirk.

"I think I'm going to leave you two to your bonding" said Marie as she made her way to the door. "If you're not back by five Logan I'll snag us some steaks from the kitchen" she said as she departed the room leaving Logan and the Professor to themselves.

* * *

AN: Another dialog, but I actually had fun writing this one. The song sung by Logan and Xavier is called The Green Fields of France, which is a sort of anti-war song about WW1. For alcohol enthusiasts out there Xavier was drinking Glenlivet 18 and Logan was drinking Cruzan Aged Rum. Personally I think this chapter came off a tad 'spontaneous musical episode'.

* * *

**Chapter 22: Chapter 22**

* * *

**To: j_cunningham (dg_operations_rcmp)**  
From: t_henry (director_calgary_rcmp) ****  
Subject: Our little mystery

Jeff,

As per our last conversation I followed up on that mystery file left in my office. We had a satellite tasked and picked up no ground movement or heat signatures at the supposed mutant experimentation black-site. I had a small team reconnoitre the place. What we found matched the intelligence in the file. I cannot be certain but this does not feel like a provocation or a barium meal. I think this file is a true bill.

The recon team reported blood stains, destroyed lab equipment and detention facilities and all the data points towards small but well funded facility performing some kind of experiments. Whether this place was experimenting on mutants or something else I cannot confirm, but our specialist tells me some of the left over equipment would be used for advanced genetics research. We took first hand photography and reports of the site before collapsing the building down onto the substructure with explosives. If anyone comes snooping around they won't find anything. You can let the parliamentary lot know they can breathe easy now.

Regarding the matter of Former Colonel Stryker, my contact in Washington let me know he has gone rogue. Apparently a project went sour on him and he lost it. Official story is mental fatigue brought on by PTSD. I had my guy's downstairs examine Stryker's movements on our side of the border and it looks to me like he was regularly visiting this facility. We cannot be certain, but there appears no other reason for him to visit Alberta. We traced him through banking receipts and CCTV and each time Stryker enters the country he disappears for a day or so around where the facility is.

I should also point out that our investigation showed on the day that two high ranking Pentagon military officials came across the border (Generals Fisher and Williams) and also vanished in vicinity of the facility; our US friends in DHS requested a flyby of two surveillance drones in the Alberta area. One of your boys cleared the flyby. Through our mutual friend in NYC, I have found out that Adams and Price supposedly died in a mountaineering accident while on vacation in Alberta. I can confirm no such accident was reported and no RCMP investigation was launched. That prick in the US State Department won't take my calls so it's going to have to be on you to get to the bottom of that one.

I got to be honest Jeff, it all seems to point to Washington setting up a covert facility here in Alberta, and something went awry. If the file on Stryker I have on my desk is accurate, he is definitely a man with experience and know how to setup such a facility. The part that gets me most is the mystery file hints at Canadian citizens being the subjects of experimentation. Now I know the parliament lot is still working out our stance on mutants, but we cannot stand-by while this happens in our own backyard. If this gets out it will the PR nightmare of our lifetime.

My recommendation is increase monitoring of US officials crossing the border, and begin by doing a financial analysis of whoever owned the land that facility was on. Lastly I think we should follow the rabbit down this hole and put a plan in place to capture Stryker. He has no friends left in Washington, so even if he has no affiliation with that facility, there will be minimal blow-back if we use creative measures to get some answers out of him. Over the next few days I plan to reach out to our friend at Langley and see if I can get some confirmation of my suspicions.

Sincerely,  
Director T.K. Henry

* * *

AN: Ah finally back in my comfort zone. Mysteries, cloak and dagger and the wilderness of mirrors. DG is Director General (Head of RCMP). A barium meal is basically fake or tainted intelligence used to lure out an enemy. A true bill is a definition given to intelligence given, that is deemed to be accurate. Apologies to any Canadians, I can't remember if you use a parliamentary system of Government.

* * *

**Chapter 23: Chapter 23**

* * *

Chuck told me as much about myself as he knew. He told me I helped him save his step-sister back in the seventies. Apparently assholes like those in the lab have been around doing that kind of shit for a long while. Kind of makes me miserable to know that.

Chuck spent the first part of our therapy trying to get me to remember things. He started with things like names of US Presidents and naming all the Canadian provinces. Eventually he sung out a few lyric of Bob Dylan and I picked up the tune on instinct. He says I used to like music by Dylan; as well as Cash and few other classics. He thinks it may be good for me to get Jean to order in some CD's to listen to and that it may help. Chuck thinks that my memories are probably gone or only a shadow of their former selves. But things that I knew like song lyrics, provinces, dates of battles in the Great War are still intact; but me and Marie just need to access them to make us aware of our knowledge.

Eventually in celebration of me reciting 'Solitary Man' by Cash we had a few drinks. Which led to a few more, which led to me downing the whole bottle of rum and I got a bit of a buzz going. Marie came in to us singing and she must have thought we were out of our minds. Well, now that me and Charlie-boy have sobered up a touch he decided to let loose with his theories on how me and Marie's 'brain problems' could be managed. I told him I would let him think on it, but I wanted to go find Marie. I know it's kind of sad but I don't like not having her around for too long. I don't think these people here at the mansion mean us any harm, but I do get worried she could see a better life without me here. If one day, that is what she wants; I won't argue. But for now I just want her nearby and her soothing scent all around me.

Speaking of Marie's scent, it's still hanging around outside Chuck's office. I think I'll go find her and see what's going on. As I wander through the hallways following Marie's scent most people give me a wide berth, but some do take the attempt to smile or nod at me. If what the Professor said was right, I don't think I was ever the sort to smile back. So I guess my ignoring them is in-character. I follow Marie's scent right to the rec-room. Quite a big room, probably used for dinner parties once upon a time; filled with pool tables, a few TV's and comfy couches and tables to hang around. Chuck has a pretty decent setup for these kids.

I finish my visual sweep of the room and my eyes land on Marie in the far corner. But that isn't what catches my eye this time. What catches my eye is the blond pretty boy talking to her. I hang around near the doorway listening for a moment. I'll let her deal with it. I can smell arousal coming of that blond prick and the son of a bitch is asking Marie if she wants to go grab a coffee some time. Jesus, coffee. Really? Marie takes a step back and I smile at her. I can hear her telling the little shit she has someone already.

Aw fuck, the blond grabbed her arm to stop her walking away. No. Not having this. I can hear the blood pounding in my ears and all I want to do is stick my claws in his chest. NO. Can't do that. Marie is doing OK here, I am doing OK here. Marie shrugged off his hand, but the bastard tells her she can't have a boyfriend because she just got here. I can smell the anger coming off of Marie and she catches my eyes out the corner of her own. The blond kid has her backed into a corner. She could drop his ass but she is trying to behave too. Ah, hell with it.

I walk quickly over to the nearest window as all other eyes in the room follow me and I look out the window. Yeah, this will do. I unlock the latch and open the huge windows outwards. I can hear the blond kid babbling some shit about coffee even as Marie glares daggers into him. I'm already walking up behind the blond kid. Marie knows what's happening and smiles. The stupid kid thinks that smile is for him and keeps flirting.

But all that flirting stops and is replaced by a really unmanly yelp as I grab him by the scruff of his hair and begin dragging him across the room to the window. All eyes in the room are on me, except for the kid. The little prick is struggling to get free of my grip and I can feel him trying to use some sort of ice mutation on my hands, but it don't bother me. "When a woman says she is spoken for, take the hint!" I say menacingly as we approach the window. Before the kid can babble out whatever it is he is trying to say I haul him through the open window.

All the kids in the room who were watching stunned suddenly rushed to the windows expecting to see a blond pancake. No such luck; first floor window and an above ground pool. I can hear the icekid shouting and splashing in the pool and the other kids laughing despite themselves. Marie comes up behind me and grabs my hand and starts dragging me out of the room. I think I heard her mutter 'idiot' under her breath. The chastisement would be a lot more effective if she wasn't grinning ear to ear.

"Told ya darlin' I have those involuntary reflexes too" I tell her as she drags me up the corridor to the teacher's wing.

"You are no longer allowed to tease me for flashing my claws at Jean and Storm" she tells me with a giggle. I'm sure I'll get a lecture about all this later from the X-Men, but the kid will be fine. At that height the pool will have broken his fall, and besides flirting with girls is one thing. But be an overbearing prick and you kind of lose peoples sympathy. I guess on some level I kind of feel sorry for the blond, he's just some kid who probably has no idea how to pick up girls. Bad luck he tried to pick up my girl I guess.

* * *

AN: It seems I somehow turned Logan into a more Byronic Hero, oh well. If this bothers you or if Logan's characterisation feels off, let me know.. Also if you didn't get it the blond is Robert 'Iceman' Drake.

* * *

**Chapter 24: Chapter 24**

* * *

**Mutant_High_IRC :**

_Joobee has signed into chat._

Joobee: Holy shit!

Kp_icequeen: I know. I saw the whole thing.

Joobee: Did the new guy really throw Bobby out the window?

Kp_icequeen: Yup. Into the pool.

Joobee: SHEEIT!

Kp_icequeen: I know, I was sitting there watching Bobby flirting badly with the new girl. Then the big dude comes in opens the window and throws Bobby out of it.

Joobee: Well the guy knows how to make a point

Kp_icequeen: Yeah. I just wish Bobby would have flirted with me instead.

Joobee: I know sweetie. Bobby is just... a boy

Joobee: He'll figure it out in the end.

Kp_icequeen: I know. It just hurts to see him come into a room, and immediately go right to the new girl.

Joobee: You know what you need...

Kp_icequeen: Please don't say shopping spree!

Joobee: ...shopping spree.

Joobee: Jinx.

Kp_icequeen: Maybe another night Jubes.

Joobee: I know I kind of forgot to ask, but is Bobby OK?

Kp_icequeen: Yeah, Jean says he's fine, just a bit shook up and probably feeling like an idiot.

Joobee: Why an idiot?

Kp_icequeen: The new girl kept telling him she already had a boyfriend and the thickheaded git thought she was lying because she was shy or something.

Joobee: OK. That. Is. Funny.

_The_flame_man has signed into chat._

The_flame_man: Hahaha did you guys hear about Iceman?

Joobee: Yeah we were just messaging about it.

The_flame_man: Hahaha, really Casanova move.

The_flame_man: When a chick is glaring at you like that... run the fuck away.

Joobee: Never works on you when I try it!

The_flame_man: That's coz you secretly like having my dark sense of humor around to balance out your really bright... everything.

Kp_icequeen: How is Bobby?

The_flame_man: Eh, the idiot's asleep. Hurt his ego worse than anything.

Joobee: He'll get over it.

The_flame_man: Probably.

Joobee: Hey Pyro, did you do Scott's maths homework yet?

_THEIceman has signed into chat._

The_flame_man: Nah, not yet. Why?

THEIceman: Hey guys.

Joobee: Damn, I wanted to copy.

The_flame_man: Hey ice, thought you were sleeping.

THEIceman: Couldn't sleep.

Kp_icequeen: Sorry guys. Need to do my homework.

_Kp_icequeen has signed out of chat._

Joobee: Bye.

Joobee: Oops. Too slow.

THEIceman: Guessing you guy's heard already?

Joobee: Duh!

The_flame_man: Yup.

THEIceman: Fuck.

* * *

AN: Quite a short chapter, but I like it. As before Kp_icequeen is Katherine Pryde. Joobee is Jubilation Lee. The_flame_man is St. John 'Pyro' Allerdyce. THEIceman is Robert 'Iceman' Drake.

* * *

**Chapter 25: Chapter 25**

* * *

**Rogue's Diary  
** _Anyone found reading this will be clawed!_

_1_ _st_ _October 2000_

Well, I've neglected my diary duties for the last few days. It's been busy around here. Mostly because some kid named Bobby tried to get me to date him the other day. I was in the rec-room downstairs just taking in the atmosphere, trying to normalize with having students milling about just hanging out. And then that blond idiot Bobby struts in and comes up to me and nags me to go for a coffee with him. When he asked me, I saw red; I wanted to flash my claws. I wanted to carve NO into his chest. I wanted to scream Logan was the only man I will ever want or need. But I didn't, I played the good girl trying to keep in good graces here at Xavier's.

When I saw Logan laughing and singing when I butted into his therapy session with Xavier, I decided I would work on my jealousy and temper so we could stay here. I think this place is good for us. But that idiot Bobby thought I was just being shy by brushing him off. I was about two seconds from kicking his teeth in when I saw Logan in the doorway, smiling at me. I knew with our hearing Logan could hear every word from across the room. Well, while Bobby was trying his best to get me to date him Logan just walked across the rec-room with an evil grin on his face. He went to open a window, then came over and dragged the blond idiot off and threw him out the window. At first I thought Logan may have killed him or something, but no. He just threw him into Xavier's huge pool. I dragged him back to our room and showed my appreciation.

I know I didn't need his help, but that was the point. He chose to take the oncoming shit-storm for me. Oh and I was really happy he was jealous. I like that. I think I totally understand what Logan said once about 'staking a claim' being a turn on. So after we got busy and finished up and were relaxing in our bed, Scott comes up and hammers on the door. He and Logan got into a shouting match. He reminded Logan of our promise not to bring harm to any students. I think if Bobby hadn't been so forceful about trying to get me to date him Scott would have thrown us out. But from my place on the bed I could hear Jean trying to calm Scott down in the hallway. Even she thought Bobby went a bit far by grabbing my arm when I tried to walk away.

Logan ended the argument with Scott by saying he will always protect me regardless of whom from, and that he doubts anything like it will happen again once word gets around of Bobby's impromptu swim. I really love how he can be sarcastic and menacingly growly at the same time. Logan then slammed the door in Scott's face and came back to bed. Did I mention the whole 'staking claim' thing gets me hot? Well it does, and we we're at it for hours after that.

The next morning we got a few disapproving looks and quite a few knowing smirks as we came down to the dining hall for breakfast.

_2_ _nd_ _October 2000_

OK, just a short entry today before dinner. Bobby came up to me for the first time today. I was ready to pop out my claws and drill the meaning of what Logan said to him the other day. But before that the little shit apologized. Damn it's hard to stay mad at someone who say's they've never asked a girl out. Well, I played it cool and agreed to pretend it never happened. When I told Logan he laughed his ass off. I didn't get the joke at first, but he explained he was thinking that Bobby had no experience in getting date. Logan said it's no wonder Bobby royally fucked it up. I think I may have a word with Scott later about talking to Bobby about dating and stuff. Scott's probably the only guy here who could pull off that topic without looking like an idiot.

Logan's advice would probably just be 'get kidnapped by the government and form an unbreakable intimate relationship while imprisoned'. Xavier would have good advice on dating, but I think the wheelchair may take away his credibility with some of the boys. I don't know how things go on here, but Logan and I both think some of these kids are seriously repressed. I know coming from me and Logan that doesn't mean much considering our very active sex life. But we both think that the kids here are too uptight, and the boys and girls all segregate themselves more or less. I told Logan maybe it's something we could work on. It will give us something to do to try to make this place a bit better as a kind of payment for Xavier being good to us. And besides Logan and I seem to like coming up with little schemes and plots for a bit of fun.

Hmm, I don't think Scott would be the ideal candidate to talk to some of the boys about dating. He is too straight laced. I'll ask Logan what he thinks later.

_3_ _rd_ _October 2000_

God-fucking-dammit. Logan was right; Xavier was holding something back about the labs from us. He came clean today. The fucking bastards planned out our whole friendship and our relationship. They sent some sick fuck into our cell to rape me and as planned Logan killed him. They beat on us so we would protect each other and get closer. Logan and I are pissed. Not at Xavier. Well maybe a little, but I get why he did it. Fuck I wish I didn't know about that. Our whole relationship was engineered in a fucking lab... literally.

Xavier say's that it isn't important. That the fuckers set the playing field, but we still had our choices. Logan could have let the fucker rape me; I could have chosen not to defend him. He could have chosen not to heal my bruises. On some level I see his point, but all I can see is my anger. How those fucking pricks at the lab managed to taint our relationship after the fact. God Logan must have felt terrible, I don't think I've seen him that angry or upset. He leveled Xavier's coffee table in anger. Xavier was unfazed but I could tell he wished he didn't have to tell us.

When we dazedly came back to our room we fucked. I'm not going to pretty it up. We fucked, it was rough and we needed to reassure each other we still wanted to be together. I had to throw out the sheets, and get new ones from downstairs. Not worth washing out the blood. Mostly Logan's blood because I still have trouble controlling my claws when I'm high on an orgasm. Though a bit of blood was mine from where his nails dug into my ass so hard it drew blood. I can't speak for Logan, but it made me feel a little better. Like the sex washed away the possibility that this new knowledge wouldn't cause Logan to melt away out of my life. God we are fucked up.

After I got our new sheets, Logan and I agreed no more sex to avoid dealing with our issues. We made a deal so that the awesome sex becomes a reward for talking it out. I told him I was afraid that because of how we got together before the memory wipe, that he would no longer want to be with me. He just laughed and told me that he loved me, and that one day I'd be the mother of his babies. I reminded him that means we will eventually have to have those adamantium birth control plugs taken out of us. I know it's kind of dumb, but the image of little me's with Logan's hazel eyes and mini-Logan's running around soothes me; like it's something to look forward to. Not anytime soon, we still have a ton of shit to deal with, but the knowledge that kids is on the cards somewhere in the future makes me happy for the moment.

I don't care what it takes, but one day I am going to put my claws in the chest of whoever put me and Logan through all this shit. Anyone who puts that look of sorrow on Logan's face deserves a chest full of claws.

* * *

AN: A few things. First I am not trying to give Bobby absolution, but I am trying to get across he is just a kid whose only knowledge of dating comes from film and TV. Secondly I think the focus for now is going to be on our main couple trying to make the mansion a better place in there own way. I'd appreciate any thoughts on that. Lastly, on a philosophical level the fact that Logan and Marie were put into a position to form their relationship does not make it any less meaningful (depending on what philosophy you apply).

* * *

**Chapter 26: Chapter 26**

* * *

**Mutant_High_IRC :**

_Joobee has signed into chat._

Kp_icequeen: Finally come up for air?

Joobee: Yup.

Kp_icequeen: You know the whole floor could hear you guys in there?

Joobee: Let em. I'm 17 and legal in NY.

Kp_icequeen: You know the Professor is probably going to get mad you brought back a human from the bar.

Joobee: He's a mutant.

Kp_icequeen: You sure?

Joobee: Red eyes. Duh!

Kp_icequeen: Is he gone, or is he still in there with you?

Joobee: He left like a half hour ago. I was just laying here chilling...

Joobee: ...we both knew what tonight was. I'm a big girl.

Kp_icequeen: OK. Were you safe?

Joobee: Duh! I don't wanna be a mommy.

Kp_icequeen: OK, OK I was just making sure.

Joobee: Never stop being our mother-hen sweetie :)

Kp_icequeen: So...

Kp_icequeen: ...was it good?

Joobee: Yup. Certainly cleared up my backlog, if you know what I mean.

Kp_icequeen: Jubes don't be weird.

Joobee: Hey, you asked.

Kp_icequeen: I know. I'm just curious.

Joobee: What haven't you seen porn online?

Kp_icequeen: Well yeah I've seen some. But it doesn't really do it for me...

Kp_icequeen: ...why would I want to have sex with a plumber?

Joobee: You know that those things are scripted right?

Kp_icequeen: Yes Jubes! I was being facetious.

Joobee: What's facetious?

Kp_icequeen: Sarcastic, flippant, smartass.

Joobee: Got it.

Joobee: I guess porn is not really about feeling type stuff; it's just to get the engine revving.

Kp_icequeen: I know that. I'm not an idiot Jubes.

Kp_icequeen: I just don't really get how jumping into bed with someone is meant to go, for like normal people.

Joobee: You walk through walls and I am a one girl Fourth of July. We aren't exactly the picture of normal.

Kp_icequeen: You know what I mean. Like how do you act with someone in bed, I can't picture myself as anything but embarrassed.

Joobee: I don't really know, I guess when it comes down to it; if it feels OK you just go with it and hope it leads to good sex.

Kp_icequeen: I guess. I suppose I just want a way to know if it feels right or something.

Joobee: Speaking of feeling right, how's it going on Operation I'm Hot for Bobby.

_Kp_icequeen has changed her screen name to Kp_shadowqueen._

Kp_shadowqueen: That answer your question?

Joobee: Still being oblivious huh?

Joobee: Want to come talk about it.

Kp_shadowqueen: Yeah thanks.

Joobee: OK, give me twenty minutes to have a shower. Bring ice cream. Jean left some of the good stuff in the back of the freezer.

Kp_shadowqueen: OK.

_Kp_shadowqueen has signed out of chat._

* * *

AN: I know this is a bit far off from where this story started, but I think it works OK. I am trying my best to channel high school problems but I don't remember any so I'm kind of eye-balling it as I go. I am under the impression the age of consent in NY is 17, if I am wrong let me know. Fun statistical fact: a single person in Argentina has read chapter five 492 times. If that person is you, you may have an issue with your refresh key.

* * *

**Chapter 27: Chapter 27**

* * *

Logan stepped quickly into the Professors office as he was running late. As he moved quickly across the room to Xavier's big desk Bobby Drake looked up to see who had entered.

Bobby's face paled as he stood up out of his seat in front of the Professor and began backing away.

"Look man, I already told Rogue I was sorry!" he said quickly as he backed away from the approaching Wolverine.

"Relax kid, Xavier invited me" said Logan plopping himself into one of the vacant sets in front of the Professor. Bobby looked to the Professor for confirmation and visibly relaxed when the Xavier gave a gentle nod.

"Robert, I have asked Logan here so we could speak about the matter the other day" said Xavier in a measured voice as Bobby lowered himself into the furthest seat from Logan.

"Look Professor I know what you're going to say and I know I made an ass of myself and I'm sorry" said Bobby quickly

"That is not what we want to speak to you about. Logan has raised a valid point, that while academic and physical pursuits here at the mansion are doing well. Other... social pursuits are below the norm for your age groups" said Xavier clasping his hands together in front of himself.

"Uh... what? I'm not sure I understand Professor" said Bobby with a look of confusion.

"Well Logan brought it up in passing after the incident the other day and I spoke it over at length with Mr Summers and Ms Grey and they agree that we have neglected certain social aspects here at the school" answered the Professor looking between Bobby and Logan as he spoke.

"He's sayin' you guys know fuck all about meeting girls" said Logan irritably.

"Um Professor, Mr Summer's already taught sex-ed to our class two years ago" said Bobby which produced a snort from Logan.

"That is not what we are talking about Robert" said the Professor looking him in the eye. "Robert, may I ask why you asked out Rogue". At saying this, a quiet growl came from Logan's side of the room, but Xavier ignored it.

"It's stupid sir. It won't happen again" said Bobby making to get up and leave the growling Logan behind.

"Sit down kid!" growled Logan. "Now listen up. I shouldn't ta' thrown you out that window, I just get all riled up whenever a guy so much as looks at... Rogue" he continued shifting uncomfortably in his seat. "Now Rogue said she doesn't care, but she is worried you brats are goin' to go around trying to get girls like that all the time. And when Rogue gets worried, I do somethin'. And this is me doing something."

"I... uh... I'm not quite sure what to say" said Bobby relaxing back into his seat after listening to Logan's short tirade.

"Now that is settled, Robert would you be willing to tell us why you invited Rogue out?" said the Professor as neutrally as possible.

"It's... um... OK, so my birthday is next month. And a while back I promised myself I would take a girl out on a date for my birthday. You know: amusement park, cinema, and restaurant. The whole thing" answered Bobby his face flushed. "Well I didn't want to just ask someone out on the day, so I was in my room and I decided to go out and find a date. So I went into the rec-room and... well... you know" he finished lamely.

"But what made you choose Rogue?" asked the Professor silencing Logan's incoming remark with a stern look.

"Well, she was the only girl there who wasn't in a group" answered Bobby feeling foolish. Bobby's answer made Xavier chuckle deeply and caused Bobby to flush even deeper red.

"Do not think me rude Robert. I am just remembering a similar issue I had when I was in university" said the Professor still chuckling lightly.

"Look, I know I went too far with Rogue and I didn't know she had someone already" said Bobby looking at Logan. "I just sort of panicked."

"I suppose I can understand that" said the Professor, who was thinking back to his own youth.

"I can't" said Logan leaning back casually in his seat.

"Well, how did you and Rogue get together" asked Bobby still looking at Logan.

"Kid. That's a whole messy fucked up situation and it's not really going to help you or the brats around here" said Logan sighing deeply.

"Well, how the hell do you ask a girl out? Isn't that what I'm doing here, you point out I don't know shit about girls and then try to tell me how?" said Bobby frustrated.

Both Xavier and Logan exchanged looks, "I got to be honest kid, I don't remember anything before me and Rogue. Like no memory at all" said Logan looking directly at Bobby.

"And my long-term bachelorhood somewhat negates my advice in this situation" said the Professor slightly too cheerfully.

"So... what was this about" asked Bobby confused.

"Well, this meeting was more to discuss the fact that this schools dating and such is rather stunted and it could affect the students in their later lives" said the Professor calmly. "And we would like you children to feel more comfortable to 'let loose' somewhat" he continued taking a breath, "within reason of course."

"I guess I understand. I'm still not sure what to do" said Bobby slowly.

"OK, listen up kid. If you just want to get a leg over; go to a bar, sit somewhere out of the way. And the chick that stares at you for the longest. You take her home or to a hotel or whatever" said Logan annoyed causing a wince of discomfort from the Professor at his advice.

"And if you want a relationship? Like a girlfriend type thing?" asked Bobby.

"Fuck knows ask One-Eye" answered Logan quickly.

"Robert. I know it's all confusing. And that will probably never change when it comes to women" said Xavier with a wry grin. "But mostly we just want you all here to feel comfortable if you want to go out and meet someone special."

"I think I get it Professor" said Bobby standing up slowly and turning to Logan "uh... thanks."

"And remember Robert, dating is all about trial and error... as you have found out" said the Professor with an amused expression dragging an amused snort from Logan. With another blush Bobby hurried from the room.

"Do you think that will set the kid straight Chuck?" asked Logan as the door closed behind him.

"Perhaps, as a teacher I can only guide my students. What do you think?" replied Xavier looking evenly across his desk at Logan.

"Honestly. I don't fuckin' know. I'm mostly operating on like ninety percent instinct and what feels right to do and say" said Logan looking out the window. "And because Marie thinks it could be a problem I'm suddenly invested in helpin' out."

"Well, all the same I am glad you and Marie feel like wanting to help out around the mansion" said Xavier smiling warmly. "It is a good sign in my opinion of your combined strength of character."

"Thanks Chuck. Not really sure if anything I do will help, but I'll try" said Logan vacating his seat to make his exit.

"Oh and Logan, please tone down the colourful language around the students" said Xavier wearily as he turned his attention to papers on his desk that needed grading.

"No promises Chuck" said Logan closing the door behind him.

* * *

AN: Another dialog. I'm going a bit overboard on the trying to normalise the school plot thread, but oh well. For readers who want a more arrogant cocky Logan, you may rove on downrange because you aren't going to be finding him here.

* * *

**Chapter 28: Chapter 28**

* * *

**To: j_cunningham (dg_operations_rcmp)**  
From: t_henry (director_calgary_rcmp)  
Subject: We got issues

Jeff,

I know you are in a bit of a bind right now with the cabinet breathing down your neck, so I hate to give bad news. The last few days we monitored the warehouse where supposedly William Stryker is holding up. Our watchers managed to get good footage of him coming and going, along with a small team of what our analysts think are mercenaries or just paid thugs. So as per the directive, this morning we sent in an assault team to capture or kill Stryker, all other persons in the building were to be treated as hostile-combatants. We gave our assault team weapons free. At a little after six they kicked the door in and engaged in a shootout with the mercenaries.

We had no casualties from our boys, but our team took out twelve hostiles. Our cover story is a training exercise for hostage situations. Eventually we got back the photography and sadly Stryker wasn't among the dead. It would seem he slipped out of a tunnel joined to an adjacent building. We did however spot Stryker leaving the area at high speed in a black SUV. We put out a bulletin and scanned CCTV. But unfortunately as Ed constantly reminds us Alberta's live CCTV net is sparse. Well, I won't beat around the bush; Stryker crossed the border into Montana a short while ago before our bulletin updated on the border crossing checkpoints (we really have to lobby more to get our system updated).

At the warehouse our assault team found a similar setup to the one found at the experimentation facility with similar lab equipment and tools. Our team found one person chained up in a backroom. The person, female, mid twenties has no record we can find, and thus far we haven't been able to determine if she is a mutant or not. She appears ethnically Asian and we have forwarded her photograph to our brothers in CSIS whose Asian contacts may help identify the girl. Reports indicated the girl is traumatised and is not speaking and I have arranged for her to be kept at a local mental health facility for her care. The director of the facility is a registered asset and he understands the need to keep the woman off book. In the meantime she will receive any assistance the doctors deem necessary to get her functional.

In regards to Stryker, I don't know there is much we can do but put up a passive alert for him crossing the border and scoop him up if he comes back over. It is up to you if you want to alert the CSIS boys, they may have assets and be feeling vindictive enough to take out Stryker for us. That clown in US State Department finally called me back and read me the party line on Generals Adams and Price, but the way he said it just reeks of another half baked cover up. I know this whole thing is a mess Jeff and I'm not happy about any of this.

My advice is put up the passive alerts, inform CSIS to try to keep tabs on Stryker and if the American's ask play ignorant. We've done a pretty thorough damage control on our end so don't expect any blow-back from this, but having Stryker on the loose could be an issue in the future.

Sincerely,  
Director T.K. Henry

* * *

AN: Holy hell, that looks like plot. OK so CSIS the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, and they are analogous to the CIA (USA), MI6 (UK), ASIS (Australia). The instruction weapons-free means permission to fire on targets as necessary. Security agencies regularly employ civilian assets on their books such as doctors or hotel managers to use on an as-needed basis. I have no idea if Canadian's use British English or American English, so I went with British.

* * *

**Chapter 29: Chapter 29**

* * *

**Journal of C.F. Xavier  
** _September 29_ _th_ _2000_

It has been an interesting twenty four hours here at the mansion and I thought now would be a good time to in the lull to partake in my little ritual.

Yesterday I began my therapy sessions with Logan and Rogue (as we are now calling her) individually. Rogue's session was mostly straight forward; I provided basic direction as she let out her thoughts on certain issues and problems facing her and Logan. She is a remarkably self-aware woman and had even previously taken part in some of her own examinations of her psyche before she and Logan came here. Much of what Rogue expressed to me was along the lines of confusion on how to feel regarding certain facts about her and Logan's experiences. These are murky grey water's she and her lover are treading and it can be intensely difficult to determine right from wrong.

I believe that before those animals experimented on her she was a good hearted woman, and I get the sense that woman still makes up the core somewhere inside Rogues psyche. If it weren't for those adamantium caps on their skulls; with their permission I could possibly examine their minds better and determine what has been altered by the labs destruction of their memories. But sadly I will have to do this the old fashioned and more long term way.

Logan's therapy on the other hand was an odd experience. It began with us dealing with the more practical problem of why and how he knows things like setting up a weight machine in the gym or how to tune up car. I put forth the theory that he has merely lost his memories, not his knowledge. He seemed sceptical. To test this I began a rather odd proof of concept by singing the first verse to an old Bob Dylan song we listened to on the radio once. The look of confusion on his face as he finished the lyrics was rather amusing. Not long after he was able to recite a few of those old classics he was fond of and we decided to have a drink to celebrate. I know, not entirely professional but it put Logan at ease. And if I am honest I was nice to have a drink or five with a friend from when I was young. Not many of my old friends are willing or able to have a drink with me these days.

Of course my old school day instincts kicked in and I had a few glassed of scotch too many. Mean while Logan drank down my entire bottle of rum. In the end poor Rogue walked in on the end of our session to see me and Logan three sheets to the wind and singing merrily to ourselves. After our little drinking session (irritatingly Logan seemed to out-heal his intoxication) I tried to get across some ideas about how his memories and mind might be working at the moment, but Logan seemed to want to deal with it another day and went on his way. I thought that he spoke about our 'next session' was an encouraging sign.

Sadly not an hour later I had Scott burst into my office to let me know Logan had thrown young Robert out a window. I thought he must have been mistaken until me mentioned that he landed in the pool. That did sound more plausible. Jean then joined our little meeting and provided me with the why to go with Scott's who, what, when and where. Seems our young Robert was a little forward with Rogue and Logan took exception. Scott left my office in a rather angry mood and I believe went to read the riot act to Logan. Jean followed soon after to try to keep things calm.

Logan came to my office later and we spoke briefly about the incident with Robert. On one level he felt completely justified, and on the other he felt awful for throwing a young man out a window; regardless of the softness of his landing. This led me to consider the possibility somewhere in Logan's mind he is trying to separate two opposing internal moralities. On one hand he wants to protect his lover and mate above all, but on the other he wants to be a good man.

I told Logan nothing more need be said about today's incident, provided he keeps his aggression in check. I recommended he have Ororo show him down to the Danger Room tomorrow. He may find it a good outlet.

_October 2_ _nd_ _2000_

Logan and Rogue came to see me this evening. They brought something to my attention which I had not considered. Rogue noticed that many of the students at the mansion appear 'repressed'. I did not know what to say initially, but after a brief reflection I did notice what she was seeing. If my public school days are anything to go by the children here are downright saintly; though that may speak more to my own and my classmate's boisterousness.

Initially Rogue did most of the speaking about what she thought may be the issue here and Logan was appeared more for support. But after a short while Logan too was getting into the conversation. Logan himself voiced that he thinks Robert's attempt to secure a date with Rogue came more from inexperience than malice. Of course he said that in his own charming way. At first I thought perhaps a school without a dating culture may be a good thing and allow more academic focus and provide a better chance for success for the students. But that would be naive. We live in a social world and a school with a student body that has no concept of romantic social interaction may prove harmful in the long run. Do not mistake me, I don't wish to hear tales of sordid escapades floating around, but I think the other extreme is just as dangerous.

After Logan and Rogue spoke to me I had a think on the matter. I confided in Jean later and she was surprised. It would seem neither of us noticed that the students under our care were being deprived of a crucial form of their social development. Jean suggested that perhaps the student body (with a few notable exceptions) feels they must act as upstanding students at all times and thus fear any romantic involvement would cause them to be expelled.

I will not run this place like a British boarding school. If this fear of being expelled is indeed the culprit, Jean and I will have to work at ways of removing that fear. Jean even confided in me that when she and Scott became involved, that she felt a little like she was misbehaving for the first few months. And she was twenty four! I think it also may be prudent to have a talk with Robert about the incident the other day and see if I can find the reason as to why it happened. I have never considered Robert to be a rude or forceful young man, so I think probing a little may be of some help to understand our situation.

I must say I am gladdened that Logan and Rogue are taking an interest here at the mansion. Many people who have suffered trauma find it beneficial to mould and change their environment to make themselves feel more secure. In a way, I think this is Logan and Rogue's way of moulding the mansion, so that they feel more at home and more safe. And I think a little worthwhile helping out around here may be a beneficial distraction for our new couple.

_October 3_ _rd_ _2000_

I told Logan and Rogue today. I brought them to my office under the pretence of organising more therapy sessions and then told them how those people at the lab nurtured their initial relationship. It would not have been fair to keep it a secret. But if I had told them earlier they may have reacted even worse.

Rogue just sat there stunned. Logan became enraged and demolished my coffee table. For the better, I never did like that table. I wish I didn't have to tell them, but they deserve to know and to understand. I tried to reassure them both that no matter the circumstances, they made the choices. They chose a relationship. They chose trust in a perfect stranger. And they chose to protect each other. Choices not circumstances are important. I have always believed this. I am not sure if Logan or Rogue took this onboard very well. They were quite distressed. They left in a daze. I hope I have not just taken away the one thing they each cling to for comfort and grounding. Perhaps I should have held my tongue. Perhaps secrets aren't always a bad thing. But it is too late to worry now. All I can do is be there to help them as they deal with it.

I don't feel much like writing about other trifling matters tonight. I feel drained. I think I will give dinner a miss this evening and have a long sleep.

_October 5_ _th_ _2000_

We had an update on our little dating problem here at the mansion. I invited Robert and Logan to have a discussion about the matter and about the incident last week. After an initial tense atmosphere, we made some progress. It would seem young Robert was a little inexperienced at romantic matters and thus the issue arose. For his age I am not sure that is a good thing. I tried to put across that dating and romance should be encouraged with his peers. Within reason I added. Hopefully he may spread the word or at least set a trend. I do not wish my students to go off to college and be disadvantaged by their circumstances. If these children had been born human I feel certain many of them would be contemplating romantic aspirations and sneaking about trying to meet for a romantic evening.

I certainly think fondly on my memories of young romance, and with a few exceptions many of these children won't have that chance. Not for lack of wanting, but due to fear that their gifts and their place in this school depends upon them acting proper. Proprietary be damned if they are unable to form meaningful relationships in their lives. We may be mutants, like humans, we are a social species. For the most part we require social interaction as a part of our basic needs. Regardless of romantic intent or not, if the students feel they cannot be safe to form bonds and relationships within these walls, how will they ever feel safe to do so when they eventually desire to live and have independent lives away from the mansion.

I wonder if it is the freedom of affection and apparent love between Logan and Rogue that made them notice the lack of it between the students. A man does not notice the air around him until there is not enough of it I suppose. I wonder if it was my complacency that caused my own oversight. No matter now. I now see what Logan and Rogue see. What they see as natural and normal in expressing their desires and affection, they see as an oddity that it is lacking in others. Granted their particular brand of expression does tend to the extreme, but it is a valid point all the same. I do hope young Robert finds a nice lady to take out for his birthday. I suppose I am still a romantic at heart. Curse my mother's Jane Austen novels.

* * *

AN: A long chapter to tie everything together with a bit more fluid direction. It was pointed out to me that in my last chapter I have a tendency to lean towards the technical and that may alienate readers. I'd appreciate some opinions on this.  
Also in the UK Public schools are the US/Australian equivalent of Private School.

* * *

**Chapter 30: Chapter 30**

* * *

I've been sitting here reading for the past half hour. Logan's gone off to talk to the Professor and Bobby about the stuff that happened the other day. I told Logan to play nice. He just smiled at me and told me he would be back in a bit. So here I am trying to read Dickens and worrying about Logan going nuts and throwing Bobby out another window. OK so Bobby had it coming the first time; to a point. But I don't want Logan and me to be kicked out of the mansion. I like it here. It's soothing and for the most part I don't feel threatened.

The only reason I'm reading is Xavier said it may help with memory stuff. Some of the stuff I've read seems familiar, others not so much. I'm about to put away David Copperfield when the door creeps open and Logan steps in. I ask him how it went, but he just gives me a grunt and makes himself comfortable on the bed.

"It went OK, pretty much what we thought would happen" he said as his hands started stroking up my arm. I recognize the look in his eye and I know I don't have any reading in my future.

"Mmm, what's you doin' there sugar?" I ask him innocently looking at the hand massaging over my clothed belly, leaving sensitive skin in its wake. His hands dip slowly down to the button on my jeans and for a moment I think he is going to open them. But his hand keeps going and he rubs lightly over my jean-clad mound drawing a slow moan from my mouth. With his other hand he grabs my book and throws it onto the seat in the corner.

"This" he eventually answered as in one rough movement he hiked my tank-top up to my neck and latched his mouth onto my now exposed nipples. God this feels good. I can feel his talented tongue swirling around my nipple between gentle bursts of pressure as he sucks it into his mouth. A long low groan passes my lips and echo's lightly in the room. I bring my hand up to the back of his head and stroke his hair. You wouldn't think so but Logan has really soft hair.

I'm just starting to contemplate a turn around when Logan makes his move. He gives my nipple a parting nip with his teeth before dragging is tongue slowly down my belly. I feel a small jolt run up my spine at the sensation. My hips arch of the bed for a moment as he nips at my belly before lightly licking my bellybutton. I can feel the deep rumbling growl coming from my chest. I didn't know I could growl. It's not deep like Logan's growls but it has the same feel to it.

He finally brings his hands into the game as one works its way up to massage my breasts. The other hand works its way down and pops open the button on my jeans. This is going to be a good day. His mouth is dropping kisses all over my belly as his hand squeezes and twists at my breast. His lower hand is slowly drawing down the zipper on my jeans. The anticipation is getting me light headed.

Before I can think about what's going on, Logan lets go of my breast and removes his lips from my belly and knees at my side. He grabs my jeans and panties at my side as I raise my hips and Logan awkwardly shimmies them down my legs to be thrown against the wall. He's got that evil sexy smile on his face and I can't help but grin back. He grabs a hold of my thighs and spins me on the bed. His hands spread my thighs wide as he shuffles down the bed and laves his tongue between my breasts.

My breathing speeds up as he lowers himself more and more. Kissing and licking as he goes. His tongue swirling patterns on my belly. His teeth nipping at my hip bones. His mouth kissing red welts into my thighs. Each touch of his lips draws another light gasp from me. But I can only take so much teasing.

"Please sugar!" I beg. I'm not so proud I won't beg Logan. "I need it" I say to him in a desperate voice. He just chuckles and moves his hand from its place on my hip to rake gently through the curls covering my womanhood. The light touch sends a shock-wave through me and I arch up seeking more pressure. But alas Logan's other hand pins my hips back into the mattress. I'm pouting at him with pleading eyes. I don't think I can come up with a coherent argument as to why he should hurry up so I am using every other weapon I can muster.

I don't know which weapon it was that worked, but I don't care. He lowers his face to the apex of my thighs and takes a long gentle lick. I gasp loudly as I hear Logan give an appreciative growl. I don't know what it is I did to deserve this, but god help anyone that tries to stop it. Thankfully god gets the day off as Logan buries his face into my wet center; his tongue stroking and prodding roughly at my swollen lips. One hand reaches up and begins massaging my breast in time with his licks.

My wanton moans and cries of pleasure fill the room as he ups the tempo. His tongue is now alternating between long licks of my wet folds, and swirling around my clitoris. I can feel my whole body shaking with pleasure and my hips are trying in vain to thrust off the bed. I distantly notice my thighs have wrapped themselves over Logan's shoulders. I wonder when that happened. I'd probably have time to think about that if Logan hadn't just latched his mouth onto my clitoris and sucked, dragging a desperate scream from me.

Despite his firm grip on me I'm now rolling my hips upwards into Logan's waiting mouth. His free hand twists sharply at my nipple as his tongue burrows deeply into my core. The combined pleasure and pain makes my vision fade for a moment. I can hear my blood pounding in my ears and everything sounds like I am underwater. All I can feel is his mouth as it works against me endlessly. I can feel my end coming. Very soon.

"Keep... gooing suugaaar!" I moan desperately as he latches his mouth onto my clitoris and sucks hard against it. I can feel his tongue prodding the swollen nub as his mouth suckles at it. This is it. I am done. I feel the pressure building in my core burst free and my thighs lock around Logan's neck. I let loose a scream that would make a Banshee envious as my hips launch off the bed lifting Logan with them. I can feel the tingly electric shocks run up my spine as I feel the waves of my orgasm wash over me. Logan is still suckling at my clitoris, keeping me on the edge for as long as possible.

Eventually my scream goes quiet and soundless as the air continues to escape my lungs. Logan's sucking eases off slowly and my hips lower back down to the mattress. My senses come back slowly and I can concentrate again as the waves of pleasure slowly recede. Logan frees his mouth from me with a loud pop and his face comes into view. His lips are swollen, his chin is glistening and he is smiling at me with a cheeky grin. My breath is coming in harsh pants and my heart is still racing. I still don't yet know what I did to deserve this, and I certainly will make sure to find out for future use. But right now all I feel is boneless. My legs feel like rubber and I can barely lift my arms. Out the corner of my eye I see Logan kick off his boots and crawl onto the bed. With a few hard pulls Logan gets the blanket free and covers us both up. I don't even have the strength to snuggle up to him. Not really an issue as he takes a cue and pulls me against him. I can feel my heartbeat calming down and my breath becomes deeper. My still sensitized skin tingles at the feeling of his jeans against my ass.

Before I fall asleep I must make sure to remember to ask what brought this on when when I get up. Logan nuzzles his cheek into mine and kisses my ear.

"Love you darlin'. Let's have ourselves a nap eh?" he mumbles sleepily into my ear. All I have the energy to do is murmur my approval as I drift off to sleep.

* * *

AN: OK so I now have a plan and finish point for this story. Cards on the table, I didn't really have one up until now. I had a general direction, but beyond that I was just guessing.

* * *

**Chapter 31: Chapter 31**

* * *

As Marie slowly awoke and felt the warmth of Logan's arms, she snuggled back into her lovers embrace.

"You up darlin'?" asked Logan quietly into her ear, to which she replied with a positive murmur. Logan's arms tightened and his hands fell possessively across Marie's belly.

"Been up long?" she asked as she batted away Logan's hand and rolled onto her back. She couldn't help but think Logan's healing was useful to stop kinks in your sleep.

"Few minutes" said Logan still on his side facing her. "Just listening to you snore".

"I don't snore!" declared Marie, receiving only an amused snort from Logan. "Besides even if I do, I'm sure it's a very sexy snore and gets you all riled up".

"Babe, you could be re-plastering a wall in a burlap sack and it would still get me riled up" said an amused Logan as his hands found her hip and squeezed lightly.

"Speaking of re-plastering the wall" said Marie indicating the dents in the plaster-work where the bed frame had impacted. "That's your job".

"Nah, it'll just happen again" said Logan idly looking at him and his lover's handiwork. "I suppose I could sort something out to bolt the bed to the floor."

"Not really fussed myself" said Marie noncommittally. "Just like teasing you about the cracked plaster" she finished playfully as she poked a finger into Logan's side.

"Sooo..." she began. "What was with the whole 'torture Marie' session back there?"

"Torture?" he asked. "That didn't sound like torture". Logan gave Marie's hip another playful squeeze as he smirked devilishly at her.

"You know what I mean ya idiot" said Marie rolling her eyes. "What brought it on?"

"It's stupid, don't worry about it" said Logan looking out the window.

"Hey, no secrets!" she said looking into his eyes and poking him in the side again. "Tell me, I won't find it stupid".

"The whole talk with Chuck and the Icekid" said Logan sighing.

"Iceman" corrected Marie smirking.

"Yeah, not yet he ain't" said Logan with an amused chuckle. "Anyway... the Professor was asking stuff about that day and the kid was talking about you".

"Oh god, you didn't throw him into the rose bushes or something did you?" asked Marie with a look of mock concern.

"Hey! I behaved" said Logan indignantly. "I kept my cool and talked it through with Chuck and Icekid. It's just when the kid was talkin' about you I got all riled up wantin' to shout at him you were mine and shit like that".

"Mhm. Welcome to the club" said Marie teasingly as she stroked Logan's side comfortingly. "So that's what it was about when you came back?"

"Yeah. I just needed to... I dunno... I wanted to prove you were mine I guess" said Logan mumbling as he answered.

"Oh sugar. You don't have to prove it; it's just true" said Marie gently as she continued stroking. "I am yours, not Bobby's or any others. Just you".

"I know darlin'. I just needed to quiet that part of me that was shouting that I ought to beat the Icekid senseless and prove it was me you go to bed with every night" said Logan looking sadly into Marie's eyes. "Told ya. Stupid".

"Not stupid. Kind of sweet, and a lot sexy" said Marie smiling brightly as she ran her hands up into Logan's hair. "We're kind of possessive huh?"

"Yeah" agreed Logan as he nuzzled lightly into his lover's caress.

"We'll deal with it" whispered Marie as she planted a gentle kiss on Logan's cheek. "Besides I kind of like your way of showing possession" she finished saucily.

"Thought you'd like that" he replied with one of his evil smirks reserved for when Marie and sex came together. "I guess I broke the sex after talking rule".

"Nah, you get a pass this time. You needed something and we sorted it out" said Marie grinning at the memory. "Beside's if you explained why beforehand it would have lost some of the magic".

"You sayin' my tongue is magic?" said Logan leaning in to give her a gentle lick over her cheek.

"Definitely magic. Probably dark magic" said Marie shuddering at the warmth of his tongue. "Likely deal with the devil evil tongue magic or something".

"You complainin'?" asked Logan quietly as he kissed and nipped his way down Marie's neck.

"Hell no, sugar. Just want to know what I got to do to get a repeat performance" whispered Marie as she leaned her neck into her lover's kisses.

"Say sugar one more time" answered Logan quietly into her shoulder as his gently bit down on her collarbone drawing out a long languid moan from his lover.

* * *

AN: Bit of context for the sex scene last chapter. Another dialog. Also I have been reliably informed that many authors like binge through their writing but then post it on a schedule for some reason. So in the interest of clarity: I am posting these literally as fast as I can write them and I have nothing more fun to do.

* * *

**Chapter 32: Chapter 32**

* * *

**Monthly Status Report**  
Cyclops  
Written: 01/10/00

Most of this month has been dedicated to retrieving our two newest inhabitants here at the mansion: Rogue and Wolverine. Early in the month, through coincidence the Professor discovered information about a secret government run mutant experimentation facility in Canada. After some probing and a few small missions we found the location of the facility. I led the X-Men to Canada where we search the facility. We found the facility had been cleared out and large amounts of blood had been left behind. We did however find a hard drive from an abandoned work terminal that provided information as to the experiments going on at the facility

Those experiments pertained to Rogue and Wolverine (full info on their mutations is in their personal files). To set a long story short, Rogue and Wolverine fought their way out of the facility and lost themselves in the wilderness. Eventually we found their location through information obtained from the RCMP. We approached the pair and offered our support and assistance. Another meeting a week later we secured their trust and they came back to the mansion where they have been attending therapy sessions with the Professor. The two have settled in reasonably well, with a few incidents caused by the trauma of their imprisonment. The teachers and student body is doing its level best to make the newcomers feel welcome and I hope they will eventually want to become of assistance to the X-Men and the school.

In side news, during our search for the facility we gained access to high level Pentagon files pertaining to mutant experimentation. Most of the files have either been redacted or bowdlerized but we have pieced together basic information of at least three other facilities in North America and at least one in South America. Katherine has been working rather diligently and I have had to allow her to skip some homework here and there (fortunately for her homework is more a formality) to run down information in the Pentagon files. We think that there is a facility somewhere in Texas, and another somewhere possibly in Wyoming, but we haven't the resources to track them down. The Professor's daily stint in Cerebro has guided our search and I think it may be possible to find at least one of these facilities. Katherine has suggested that it may be worthwhile to post the files we have on the 'darknet' to give other mutant activists a chance to find the facilities and rescue the mutants being held there. I spoke to the Professor and he fears that the information may be used by people equally as bad as those in the labs, but he acknowledges that if we don't achieve a result within the next month that it probably can't make the situation any worse. Thus I have had Katherine prepare the files and a way to safely and securely leak the files online by next month.

We have also been doing basic probes into the financial records of the landowner where the Canadian facility was found. So far we have only found several shell corporations and non-entities that own are registered to own the land. Katherine believes that a trip to the British Virgin Islands may lead us to clues as to who actually owns these shell companies. It is my hope that the same landowner who owned the Canadian facility will also be the owner of other facilities. Sadly Storm and Jean are lobbying the Professor for a trip to the BVI, but I suspect that may have more to do with the weather. Though I do admit it has been a stressful month, and some relaxation for the X-Men may be necessary.

On a darker note, Jean has arranged a set of restraints and a purpose built chair to hold both/either Rogue and Wolverine for use in a worst case scenario. The Professor has informed the couple and they acknowledge and understand, even if they are uncomfortable by the idea. Jean say's the chair and its restrains won't be able to be damaged by the duo's adamantium claws. She also has synthesized a small amount of the sedative the doctors at the Canadian facility used on Rogue and Wolverine. I am not entirely happy about this, but at least we are being open about it. Both Rogue and Wolverine have suffered massive trauma and a psychotic break is not out of the realm of possibility. For my own sake I choose to believe that those chairs in the basement are not for my new friends, but instead they are there in case someone or something tries to control them.  
_Personal: Wolverine laughed at my sentiment and proceeded to call me a 'weepy one-eyed prick'. I pointed out that one-eye and prick is slang for male genitalia and thus was redundant._

Jean's medical report this month should be fun. She hates doing them and she had a busy month here at the mansion. I look forward to reading it thoroughly to ensure nothing was omitted. Unintentional omissions I am sure but good record keeping is paramount to a smoothly run operation.

_See association page for links to pertinent files._

* * *

AN: Huh... X-Men stuff is still going on. I guess it is hard to see behind all that sex and talking. The British Virgin Island's is one of the major locations for shell companies to be incorporated. Darknet is sort of like a backroom to the internet, lots of illegal stuff and lots of mundane kinky stuff. Sorry to those in the US if I picked your state to host a facility, it was mostly at random and because they have big open areas to hide them. Oh and bowdlerize is an intelligence term to change around data and reports to hide the source.

There once was a fandom in X-men,  
Where a couple was paired time an' again,  
It was sexy and cute,  
And loving to boot,  
So Rogue and Logan: we ship them.

* * *

**Chapter 33: Chapter 33**

* * *

**Mutant_High_IRC :**

_Rogue has signed into chat._

Joobee: Hey girl, Kitkat sort you out with a laptop OK?

Rogue: Yeah, she just left.

Joobee: It's Jubes BTW.

Rogue: Really, I would never have guessed.

Joobee: Yeah, I am a girl of infinite subtleties... all well hidden.

Rogue: It's really weird...

Rogue: ...I know how to use the laptop, but I don't know I do...

Rogue: ...I'm just sort of doing what works.

Joobee: Man that memory thing must be strange at times.

_Kp_shadowqueen has signed into chat._

Rogue: Strange... yup.

Joobee: Hey Kitty.

Kp_shadowqueen: Hey J. Good to see the laptop working OK for you Rogue.

Rogue: Yeah thanks for suggesting it. It's nice.

Kp_shadowqueen: Yeah, I put this chat client on the desktop for you...

Kp_shadowqueen: ...I set it to auto login to our chat session...

Kp_shadowqueen: ...and I set your name to be Rogue. Hope that's OK.

Rogue: Yeah, it's great Kitty.

Joobee: Yeah our little computer geek has been doing this stuff since she was in nappies.

Kp_shadowqueen: Don't exaggerate.

Joobee: Well, you hooked us all up with this chat stuff didn't ya.

Rogue: What is this chat thing for anyway? We're all in the same building.

Kp_shadowqueen: I set up a local chat server and gave most everyone in our grade the software to access it.

Joobee: What she means is we used it to talk when we were younger and had curfew.

Rogue: Clever girls.

Joobee: Yeah and now we're older, we just use it to be lazy and talk from our bedrooms.

Kp_shadowqueen: Yeah, and it's totally private. It is like community chat though so if you want to know who is chatting type /see_all and it will tell you who's on.

Joobee: Just in case you want to bad mouth Bobby or someone and want to check they aren't on.

Kp_shadowqueen: That's not why I made this Jubes.

Joobee: It has been lately. Might as well name it 'Take the piss out of Bobby Chat'.

Rogue: Oh god, this isn't about what happened last week is it?

Joobee: Mostly yup.

Joobee: Oh and coz Kit's got the hots for him.

Kp_shadowqueen: JUBILEE!

Joobee: Oh don't get your panties in a bunch. Half the school knows.

Rogue: OK, I can't tell you why, but I am laughing my ass off right now.

Kp_shadowqueen: It's not funny.

Rogue: Not laughing at you, just the situation.

Joobee: The situation being your big muscle man threw Kitkat's crush out a window.

Rogue: Into a pool. Why does no one ever mention the pool.

Kp_shadowqueen: I know Jubes. I was there.

Rogue: Sorry Kitty, I didn't mean to...

Rogue: I don't know... but I'm sorry.

Kp_shadowqueen: It's OK.

Kp_shadowqueen: Out of curiosity though. Why did your boyfriend throw him out the window.

Joobee: Yeah, I get he was being a bit of a prick but it seems a bit far...

Rogue: Well...

Rogue: OK basically me and Logan kind of get really possessive. Any time a woman talks to him I want to hurt them. Same with Logan and guys talking to me.

Kp_shadowqueen: Shit.

Joobee: Yeah shit.

Joobee: ALSO HA, I finnaly got big muscle guys name.

Rogue: It wasn't a secret?

Joobee: I've been asking around for days and everyone just shrugged or told me to buzz off.

Rogue: Could have asked us?

Joobee: Too obvious. Not nearly as much fun.

Kp_shadowqueen: Don't worry R, she's always like that.

Kp_shadowqueen: ALWAYS.

Joobee: Love you too hun.

Rogue: So how long you two known each other?

Joobee: A few years.

Kp_shadowqueen: A lifetime.

Rogue: Daww.

Joobee: Hey no sass from the new girl!

Rogue: I sass Logan, I don't think you got much chance to avoid it.

Joobee: Well at least you aren't boring :D

Kp_shadowqueen: So how long have you and Logan been dating?

Rogue: Uh... long story. I'll tell you another day.

Kp_shadowqueen: OK.

Kp_shadowqueen: I didn't mean to pry.

Rogue: It's OK, you guys were cool to me today. It's just a long story and better told in person... ya know?

Joobee: We get it sweetie. We all had pretty shitty stuff happen to bring us here.

Kp_shadowqueen: Not all of us Jubes.

Joobee: You know what I mean.

Rogue: So besides gossip, run the Danger Room and do school work; what do you guys do around here?

Joobee: Eh, we all figure out our own thing. Like you and Logan seem to like having really loud sex :D

Kp_shadowqueen: Oh god Jubes.

Rogue: Um... am I missing something.

Joobee: The day you and your man arrived I went to introduce myself to you. Came up the stairs and you two were going at it like crazy...

Joobee: ...could hear it all the way down the hall.

Rogue: Oh god.

Joobee: Don't be embarrassed, you're sleeping with like one of the hottest guys around.

Kp_shadowqueen: Stop digging Jubes.

Joobee: I'm serious. It's awesome.

Rogue: Not really sure what to say.

Kp_shadowqueen: She makes us all feel like that sometimes Rogue.

Joobee: Hey, we're all adults. Can't we just agree that Roguey getting regular sexing is a good thing and move on?

Kp_shadowqueen: I'll let you dig yourself out of this one Jubes.

_Kp_shadowqueen has signed out of chat._

Joobee: I didn't mean to weird you out or anything sweetie.

Joobee: I was just being honest.

Rogue: Thanks I guess. Not really good at talking about this kind of stuff...

Rogue: ...raincheck?

Joobee: Sure.

Rogue: Night.

_Rogue has signed out of chat._

* * *

AN: Another chat. Not sure if I captured the 'new friend' vibe where you know them, but don't know them well enough to make fun of them or joke around and try to skirt the line. We'll see.

* * *

**Chapter 34: Chapter 34**

* * *

**Rogue's Diary  
** _Anyone found reading this will be clawed!_

_October 5_ _th_ _2000_

Just a short entry today, I'm exhausted. Anyway after our chat with the Professor the other day Logan and I thought it would be the end of discussion about our little theory. Turns out the Professor thought it was worth making a thing about and 'operation mutant dating service' is underway. Logan called me a dork for calling it that. He laughed even harder when I kicked him in the ribs. Jerk. Anyway the Professor got Logan and Bobby in for a meeting today. They talked about dating and stuff and Logan thinks that Bobby may come out better off. He also said he thinks the Professor will take more notice of the kids need to date and be romantic and such. We'll see how it goes.

When Logan came back from the meeting we didn't talk much. By that I mean he basically came in and ravished me and made me go cross-eyed. I was so far gone I just fell asleep afterwards. When we woke up a short while ago we spoke about why he acted like that. Turns out some of the stuff he talked about in the meeting with the Professor and Bobby made him feel a little jealous and protective. After I played the whole puppy-dog eyes and 'please baby tell me' he spilled it. I know it's bad, but I really like it when Logan wants to prove himself as mine. And damn did he ever. I know the whole possessive co-dependence thing isn't healthy, but it really makes me feel wanted and makes me feel needed. And I won't kid myself into thinking some of our steamy nights haven't been inspired by some whispered words about Logan's sexy ass by some of the girls here at the mansion.

You know what; I am tired of this feeling guilty for wanting to keep my man, my mate and my lover all to myself. And why the hell should Logan feel guilty for it. We have came through a literal hell and there is no goddamned way anyone is taking Logan from me. I'll reign in my aggression when I see him speaking to other women, but I'm not going to let it make me feel bad for wanting to keep him to myself. And neither should Logan. We need this. We need to not feel like shit every time that little voice shouts at us to defend our mate to the bitter end. It may not be socially acceptable, but it is who we are. We can't help it. I'm going to go talk to Logan about this.

I'll bring it up with the Professor tomorrow. I'm sure if I tell him we will pull back on the aggression a bit he will help us. Even if that help means going person to person in the mansion and telling them to tread lightly around me and Logan. We're mutants, and this is just the cost of doing business.

_October 8_ _th_ _2000_

OK, time to do some diary stuff the Professor keeps bugging me about.

So today I sort of stumbled into a conversation with a pair of girls: Jubilee and Kitty. Jubes' is a motor mouth who wears way too many bright colors and Kitty is a really smart but kind of shy girl. They make an odd duo but they were nice to me. Jubilee started a conversation about my clothes which went on for about an hour. Even as shy as Kitty was she wasn't above getting involved in conversations. Apparently what I wear is way too practical and not enough sexy. They asked about the gloves so I told them. It was surprisingly easy, I just told them and they nodded. Jubilee said bummer, and Kitty nodded. No ceremony or pitying looks. I told them my man is the one person I can touch without it harming them. Jubilee had a few jokes at that, all of which Kitty blushed at.

I was thinking the pair might head off to do schoolwork or something but instead the dragged me down to the basement. They have a sort of simulation training room here they call the Danger Room. Logan mentioned it in passing. Well Jubilee and Kitty thought I may need a bit of exercise and a bit of a go around the Danger Room was in order. Kitty got Scott to set up the program and we went inside. The girls told me, just to watch and learn and they would do most of the work. They told me not to be scared. Evidently news of my badass-ness and my power's haven't yet made the rounds of the gossip mill. Well the program turned on and a bunch of faceless goons appeared and tried to attack us. Turns out Kitty and walk through anything, and Jubilee has nifty little plasma bolts or something. Well, I let Jubilee and Kitty go first... for like three seconds before I let out the claws and went to town on the simulated muggers.

The two just stood there looking at me with their mouths hanging open. Hell even Scott looked surprised up in the control room. After another few runs of the mugger in a dark alley routine the girls went up to the control room and Scott put on one of the high level simulations. Me versus the might of the United States Army; and I am proud to report I kicked ass, took names and surprised the shit out of Scott and the girls. Scott gave me some notes on areas I could work on. Areas like stop charging right into a fight and stop trying to use strength to overpower opponents. I showed it to Logan and he pretty much agreed. Logan says I need to be more agile and move way faster, and dance around my opponents and claw at them when an opening appears.

After the Danger Room the girls let me go back to the room to shower only if I promised to meet them in the kitchen. I came up and told Logan and he just smiled and told me to have fun. I think he spent the day reading the list of books the Professor gave him. Anyway after I showered I went down to the kitchen and met up with the girls. We spoke a bit more and then Jubilee mentioned something about a laptop and chatting. Kitty then went bright-eyed and said she had an idea and sprinted off. She came back phasing through the fridge carrying an old looking laptop. Anyway she said the laptop was for me and I took her up to my room to help me set it up, we lost Jubilee near the rec-room, she gets easily distracted. I've got the thing setup on the table next to the bookcase.

Kitty setup a chat program on the laptop so I could talk with the girls when they are online. It all felt very familiar as I booted up the laptop and chatted to the girls for a little while. When Logan got back from his session with the Professor, he said he was glad I was making friends. I told him I wanted him to make friends too.

I know it sounds really odd, but on one hand I want Logan all to myself. On the other hand I us to have friends and not be dependent on each other for social interaction. I guess it's kind of stupid. I'm not sure where it's all coming from. I asked Logan what he thought, and he said he didn't know either. He said he feels slightly sad I am making friends around the mansion, and also really happy I'm making friends and getting to know people. I think he is just as confused and torn as I am. Perhaps the Professor will have some ideas next time we do our therapy thing.

* * *

AN: Not sure if Rogue's irritation at social norms conflicting with her own (and Logan's left over 'imprint') desires came through clearly. I hope it did.  
I think the title 'Outside Looking In' can safely be called an artifact title now. If I was to rename the story I might go with something like X-Men: Roshomon. That's basically what this story is starting to be. Sort of. Roshomon style story telling usually means each perspective changes the details based on a subjective world view.

* * *

**Chapter 35: Chapter 35**

* * *

**Journal of C.F. Xavier  
** _October 6_ _th_ _2000_

Today I had another therapy session with Rogue. I admit this session has been the most difficult thus far. She was calm at first, but eventually showed her distress. It would seem she and Logan have been struggling with their jealously and possessive natures. She was quite upset and was even so angry as to threaten to leave the school at one point. It appears to the difference between what would be considered a normal relationship and her desire to posses her mate presents a dichotomy within her own mind. She understands many couples are able to deal with having their partners be around other people. But I believe her feral nature which she acquired from Logan is asserting its possessiveness.

It is a conundrum. If I was able to telepathically look into Rogue's mind I could tell her with certainty whether her feral desires are her own creation, or if they are entirely left over from Logan's imprint. I said as much to Rogue. To further complicate the matter we discussed the fact that even if it is Logan's feral imprint, does that really change the fact of the matter? The areas we are treading have never before been trodden, and there is no easy right and wrong. Once Rogue said she thinks perhaps she and Logan should leave if they cannot contain their feral natures. I disagreed. While I think with time Rogue and Logan may become more used to dealing with their jealousy and possessiveness, I think it is not harmful thing. I sincerely believe both Logan and Rogues adamant expression that they will not allow their feral natures to cause harm to anyone here at the mansion.

I am not sure how it will play out in the long-term but I told Rogue that in the end the fact is, both she and Logan are feral. And as such they are possessive and jealously guard their chosen mate. I have read up on some other feral couples in Europe and their nature is treated as a trait of their mutation and not a social abnormality. It would seem, under the circumstances my advice to Rogue (and by extension Logan) is to accept their nature and accept it as a part of their identities as much as their claws and healing are. At hearing 'my blessing' Rogue left our session in much better spirits. And her suggestion of a note on the bulletin board warning off any would-be suitors to either of our resident ferals may be beneficial showed her improved mood.

Hopefully Logan and Rogue will be able to accept their feral nature as a normal factor in their relationship. We may have to deal with incidents in the future, but I feel certain any suitors for Rogue have been successfully warned off by Logan's run in with Robert. I do hope nobody here is fool enough to risk Rogues wrath by attempting to win Logan's affection. Only time will tell. Meanwhile Rogue and I will continue our sessions.

_October 8_ _th_ _2000_

It would seem it is going to be another busy week. This morning I received a call from a psychiatrist in Alberta, Canada. He spoke to me at great length about a young mutant woman under his care. He hinted that her care was under the direction of the Canadian Intelligence Services. More so he unsubtly hinted that the same services would very much like to 'offload' this woman into my care. All the man I spoke to would tell me is the woman won't speak and is mostly unresponsive. She will eat and sleep willingly but beyond that she shows no reaction to her surrounds. He also mentioned that the woman may have suffered some trauma.

After his brief rundown of the patient I asked him how he came about contacting me. He refused to divulge but I have the feeling he or his government have been playing with some strings. In the end I told him I would gladly accept the woman. He said he would arrange a call-back to setup a delivery of her. Delivery, like she was a package. Charming man.

Once off the phone I had Scott and Jean look into the man. He is by all accounts legitimate. Even some of the files I have acquired over the years all point towards his care-facility being a legitimate operation with ties to the Canadian government. I am still concerned how this man came to know about me; on the grand stage of mutant relations I relegate myself to the background. And my school is not common knowledge for good reason. There is little to be done but play out this bureaucracy for the sake of the young woman who may need my care.

_October 10_ _th_ _2000_

I did not expect the Canadian's to get back to me so soon. They told me that unless I had any objections the young woman would be arriving here late tomorrow afternoon. I hid my surprise but agreed all the same. They told me they would drop the patient at my gates and someone of my staff is to wait and bring her in.

I would have liked to make my own arrangements, but there is little I can do now. I think having Jean and Ororo wait for the woman would be the best course of action. Scott too should probably be nearby just in case something is amiss. I do not like being dictated terms, particularly when it comes to my school and the safety of my students.

_October 11_ _th_ _2000_

The young woman arrived several hours ago. Jean and I have been busy coaxing her to speak to us. She was very reluctant at first. But I think the knowledge we are also mutants may have taken the edge off of whatever trauma was causing her silence. She didn't speak much, only a few mumbled words. She wouldn't tell me her name. I am concerned however by the lack of telepathic projections. Is her mind so numb she is projecting nothing? That may be a sign of some severe torture or worse. So bad it causes her to regress and merely react to life around her.

Jean and Ororo took her down to the kitchen to get some food. I am told she had no issues with crowds. She is quite an attractive young woman and Jean tells me she turned a few heads, despite her obliviousness. Jean and Ororo gave her some soup and sat with her a she ate. Most of the rest of the evening was filled with different well intentioned students attempting to greet the newcomer. She responded little to the greetings, but Jean told me she was not totally unresponsive and she even smiled shyly at some compliments and nodded at some light questions. Jean is concerned that the way she keeps her eyes downcast may be an indicator of some serious abuse.

Jean and Scott arranged for the woman to be given a room at the end of their hall and Scott wired up the sensor on her door to alert him in case she wanders off in the middle of the night. I watched as he kindly explained the reason for the sensor to her. She remained unmoved sitting on her new bed. Jean said she will keep an eye on her. We still know nothing about her and we should continue to take precautions. I am yet to determine her mutation. Jean says she will keep an eye out for any powers that she displays.

I will spend the rest of my evening preparing a plan to help the woman. Until I can break through and get her to talk I am unsure of what route to take in dealing with her trauma. Perhaps I could try explaining my gifts to her and see if she will allow me to read her mind. It may prove helpful in unlocking her mystery. As in all things, time will tell.

* * *

AN: Look... plot.

* * *

**Chapter 36: Chapter 36**

* * *

**Mutant_High_IRC :**

_Kp_shadowqueen has signed into chat._

Kp_shadowqueen: Damn Bobby, what the hell were you thinking?

_Joobee has signed into chat._

THEIceman: I don't know.

THEIceman: FUCK!

Joobee: What'd I miss?

Kp_shadowqueen: I asked Bobby what the hell he was thinking and then he swore. You are now up to date.

Joobee: Man... what the hell made you do that?

THEIceman: I don't fucking know. I'm just there, Jean is introducing me to the new girl and my stupid fucking mouth starts dribbling shit before I can think.

Joobee: No shit Bobby.

Kp_shadowqueen: You realize she probably had a hard time before she came.

Joobee: Didn't you notice Jean glaring at you.

Joobee: The whole room was practically waving you off.

THEIceman: I know for fuck sake!

Kp_shadowqueen: Well, it did make the new girl smile.

Joobee: Don't defend him Kit.

THEIceman: How bad do you think I fucked up?

Joobee: Well, you called a possibly traumatized woman pretty and said you liked her eyes... so who knows.

Kp_shadowqueen: You'll probably get in trouble from Ms Grey, but I don't think anything really bad will happen.

Joobee: Except you now look like a dickhead to the whole school.

THEIceman: I know...

THEIceman: ...I dunno, I couldn't help myself. I just saw her and...

THEIceman: ...maybe I should go apologize?

Joobee: FUCK NO!

Kp_shadowqueen: I wouldn't.

Joobee: What is it with you and new girls man?

THEIceman: I think the issue is I am apparently a colossal idiot.

Joobee: Yup.

Kp_shadowqueen: Mhm.

THEIceman: I think I will go see if Xavier is up and about.

Kp_shadowqueen: That could help.

THEIceman: Wish me luck.

_THEIceman has signed out of chat._

Joobee: Man, the Bobsicle has no luck whatsoever. First he hits on Roguey and tall dark and growly throws him out a window... now he hits on new girl and Jeannie drags him out of the kitchen by his ear...

Kp_shadowqueen: It is kind of funny... in a sort of tragic way.

Joobee: I mean what is it with him and new girls. There are perfectly available girls right here already.

Kp_shadowqueen: Subtle Jubes.

Joobee: I try.

Kp_shadowqueen: Do you think he will actually get in trouble?

Joobee: Fuck knows. All he really did was be nice to the new girl, in a sort of stupidly goofy way.

Kp_shadowqueen: I guess.

Joobee: I guess if I were a guy I could see what he meant. She was pretty damned hot.

Kp_shadowqueen: If you were a guy none of our virtues would be safe anymore.

Joobee: Damn right. You think the new girl was Chinese? She looked Asian.

Kp_shadowqueen: Maybe.

Joobee: I could ask Xavier and see if she understands Cantonese.

Kp_shadowqueen: I guess it couldn't hurt. She didn't really speak though.

Joobee: Yeah, I know. Mostly just looked down and nodded a bit.

Kp_shadowqueen: I still think she smiled a bit when Bobby was talking to her.

Joobee: Nah, probably just a twitch.

Joobee: Oh, maybe she doesn't speak English?

Kp_shadowqueen: I don't know J. By the way Ms Grey and Storm were hovering around her I think she probably didn't have a easy time before she came here.

Joobee: Par for the course I guess.

Kp_shadowqueen: What a weird night.

Kp_shadowqueen: Was kind of funny seeing Ms Grey dragging Bobby out of the kitchen.

Joobee: I don't think he will ever hear the end of that.

Kp_shadowqueen: Didn't Rogue say she would be on chat tonight.

Joobee: If you shared a bedroom with Logan would you be chatting with us right now?

Kp_shadowqueen: Probably.

Joobee: Wrong person to ask.

Joobee: Anyway, I'm coming over. I need help with maths homework.

Kp_shadowqueen: Again?

Joobee: Ah the pains of being my friend.

_Joobee has signed out of chat._

* * *

AN: Looks like the Iceman made another wrong step in the dating game. I will admit it can be difficult to tell where the line between being friendly and being flirty is. Don't judge Bobby too harshly, we all make idiots of ourselves.

* * *

**Chapter 37: Chapter 37**

* * *

**Journal of C.F. Xavier  
** _October 12_ _th_ _2000_

It would seem last night was slightly more eventful that I had been told. While I was busy catching up with correspondence, it would appear a little incident occurred in the kitchen. Late last night Robert came to my office to speak to me. Fortunately I was still awake. The young man confessed that while he was in the kitchen earlier he saw Jean and Ororo introducing some of the students to our new charge. He tells me he then proceeded to make a fool of himself and flirt with the new girl. Before he could say or do anything that may upset the young woman, Jean dragged him from the kitchen. I must say Robert was quite distressed, he knew what he did was poorly timed and he wanted to know if he upset the young woman. I told him I saw her when she was being shown her bedroom and that by all outward appearances she was about the same as she came to the mansion.

Robert was visibly relieved by this, and his rather self-recriminating telepathic projections dialled it down. I decided to break the sombre mood in the room by telling Robert a story. More specifically how the tale of how foolish young Charlie Xavier looked trying to ask out Kaitlin Bennett. I may have edited the story slightly for my own vanity, but I think the message was clear to Robert. We all make mistakes I told him as he was attempting not to laugh at my tales unfortunate conclusion. I suppose I can take a small wound to my ego if it removes that depressed foolishness I felt wafting across my desk telepathically. I was pleasantly surprised by Robert's own admission that 'at least I learned something'. Before he left he asked me if it would be alright to speak to the young woman again, merely as a friendly voice in the school. I told him that I cannot be certain of the young woman's state of mind, but that it may be beneficial to have a friend to talk to; even if she doesn't talk back. Robert left in a rather chipper mood.

Following up this morning I asked Jean why she did not tell me about the little incident in the kitchen. She was rather sheepish but in the end she told me she thinks she went a little overboard in trying to protect our mystery woman. I can understand that desire to protect more than most. I updated her on mine and Roberts's conversation the night before and she initially wished not to have Robert in the woman's presence. I explained that it may be beneficial to the woman. She appears young, and could easily be Roberts's age. Perhaps having someone talk to her of her own age group may make her more comfortable as we have already seen that being mutants put her at ease to mutter a few words to us. I think the woman may need associational bonds to be in place before she will open up. Perhaps I am being hopeful but maybe Robert being both a mutant and young will be enough association for her to feel comfortable. Jean tells me she understands my reasoning but wishes to remain nearby if Robert is to talk to her. I told her that would have been a given as much for Robert's safety as her own.

_October 16_ _th_ _2000_

There is sadly little to write tonight. Our new resident is a difficult nut to crack indeed. So far she seems to respond better to Jean or Robert when they talk to her. Which is odd, because for the life of me they have no similarities; Jean is very professional and clinical. Whereas Robert's demeanour could be likened to a man holding a conversation with an imaginary friend in that he sits with her and speaks, and fills the silence not just by asking questions over and over; but by telling her about his day or some such mundane goings on. This is very perplexing; I cannot seem to find what makes this woman comfortable enough to speak her one word replies to Robert and Jean.

When it comes to my dealings with the woman, she is very tight lipped. She occasionally mutters a reply but otherwise remains silent. I asked her the other day if she would permit me to enter her mind telepathically but she just shook her head and then drew her knees to her chin and began rocking back and forth. I felt so guilty for even mentioning it. After Jean came and calmed her down she went to go get food as I sat writing up my preliminary analysis of the woman. And I must admit, I am at a loss. She at times appears social but quite and very reserved, but you can see her smile when Robert tells her a joke and you can see her nod slightly when he asks a rhetorical question. But then at other times she appears lifeless. Her eyes glass over and she remains unresponsive, no matter who is talking to her. There must be something triggering her. But for all the information those Canadian's gave me she may be deathly frightened of wood!

There is little to do but continue our sessions. I spoke to Rogue and Logan the other day and I told them we may have to ease off on their sessions to a weekly schedule. Logan was naturally concerned for Rogue but the pair understood. They told me that have seen the woman around the mansion and they have stayed away thus far. Rogue tells me she feels somewhat like the young woman is a 'ghost of Christmas future' of sorts. I told her that is simply not true. She replied by saying that the woman walking around could have been her or Logan if things had gone differently. I told her the circumstances are very different, but in the end agreed that if the young woman makes her feel uncomfortable she should give her a wide berth. Logan joked that he would have done so anyway, as he now considers talking to females without Rogue present a hazardous task. It is nice to see they have a sense of humour about their feral sides. If the look young Rogue was giving him was anything to go by, I don't see how less female contact is going to bother him. Ah to be young again. Well, I suppose Logan could very well be my grandfather, but the sentiment is still valid. I sit in a wheelchair, not a coffin.

* * *

AN: I know I did a Journal one recently, but no other point of view worked so here we are.

* * *

**Chapter 38: Chapter 38**

* * *

Logan and I got back from dinner a while ago. I got a bit anxious with some of the girls looking in Logan's direction from time to time. So I guess I sort of threw him on the bed and rode him like crazy. He understands. It's something we sometimes just need to get out of our systems. So here we are, lying in bed sated and relaxed. I'm just relaxing and letting the nice feelings from earlier wear off. Logan is already snoring. I love his snoring, it puts me to sleep. I honestly don't think I could live without it. His arms wrap around me tighter and his face presses into my back. I should feel warmer with Logan's furnace-like body pressed against me but the room feels colder.

My eyes snap open and lock onto a silhouette standing in the window. My vision is good at night and I see, it's her; the new girl. She stands there perched on the windowsill looking at me with vacant eyes and her head cocked to the side. I feel Logan's arms slack off from around me and his breathing evens out, he is awake. I can hear his claws slowly rasping free, even as I feel my own slide through the skin between my knuckles. To my surprise the woman just stares, as her own set of claws slide free. Not like our claws; more feline. Five on each hand, one for each finger. The tension in the room is mounting and I can feel Logan's muscles tighten like a bow. The moonlight is shimmering off of her claws, they look like ours is all I can think of. Adamantium, they have to be. Her face is expressionless and her eyes are vacant, but her body is poised to snap forwards just like Logan and mine.

All at once the tension in the room bursts free and our mystery visitor launches at us. I am already on my feet closing the distance to her in return. Her claws slash out at my chest, and I feel the pain and the warmth of the blood wetting my clothes. But I just keep straightforwardly charging her as I stick my claws deep into her belly and throw her against the wall. Logan is at my side, and I see his hands wrapped around her wrist. Her wrist that was about to scratch my face open with her own claws. Both me and Logan look down at the woman who is just gazing at us with distant eyes. Logan see's it before I do, she's a healer too. The six claws through her gut have healed and she drags her feline claws down both me and Logan's thighs. Both me and Logan howl out in pain as she springs up and throws me against the far wall by my shoulders.

I feel the wall impact against my back and I know I've made a huge dent. I get my feet under me and pull myself up. Logan is fighting her, but the woman is agile and can move like lightning. I move in to help my man as she drops onto her hands and wraps her thighs around Logan's neck and flips him into the wardrobe. I can feel the anger pumping through me and I can hear the wild animal in me screaming to tear apart this woman who has harmed my mate. Logan lands against the wardrobe, flattening it as I slash out my claws at the woman's face. She bends back letting the claws pass her unscathed before pouncing back and clawing at my belly. I see Logan emerge from under the pile of splintered wood that used to be our wardrobe as I am being backed into the bathroom as I trade swipes with the mystery woman. I distantly wonder if anyone has heard our shouts and the fighting up here as I feel her claws bury themselves in my side. I grab her by the hair and slam her face into our bathroom sink; sending shards of porcelain in all directions. But her face heals almost instantly before my eyes. I feel her drag out her claws from my side as her other hand slashes across my face sending me flying against the shower stall. I think one of my eyes has been damaged, but I hear Logan's roar as he charges into the bathroom and driving his claws deep into her chest.

I can feel my eye returning to normal and my vision coming back as I see Logan pinning the woman to the tile work wall above our toilet, her legs dangling a foot off the floor. His eyes are burning with fury, but it isn't enough she is still clawing at him. I can feel the muscle on my side knitting together as I stand and move next to Logan. She is still clawing wildly at Logan's face, but he remains unmoved. The adamantium in our skulls is stopping her claws doing anything but piss him off. I can distantly hear Logan shouting something to me, but I am not listening. All I want to do is kill the woman who harmed my mate. I step up next to Logan and pin one of the woman's arms against the wall with one set of claws. With my free hand I drive three adamantium claws deep into the side of her neck. The strength goes out of her free arm and her legs stop trying to get leverage against Logan. Her eyes are still wide open and she is looking between us with a vacant gaze.

Her spinal cord, I must have severed it. I don't remove my claws; I remember clearly the files they had on us. We can't heal if something is stopping it. If she heals like us then as long as my claws stay buried in her neck, she can't hurt Logan. I hear commotion behind us as Jean and Scott barrel into the room. My focus comes back and I look around the room. The shower stall, the sink and the walls are all smashed. There is blood everywhere and signs of claw marks on almost every surface. I hear Jean asking rather hysterically what happened. Logan pulls his claws from the woman's chest and she slumps gracelessly to the tiles next to our toilet. My claws are still buried in her neck as I crouch down next to her. Logan's claws retreat back into his forearm as he turns to do the talking to a horrified looking Jean and Scott. I look down at the woman who has my claws stuck in her neck. All I want to do is cut her head off and hold it up for everyone to see, but I don't; I can't take her head off, adamantium along the spine, probably the same as me and Logan. She stares up at me, and for the first time I see something in her eyes that makes my desire to kill her lessen. It looks like fear in her eyed. She is afraid.

* * *

AN: Not sure if all the action flowed OK here. But it all took place in about the space of a minute, not sure if that came across. Yes the mystery woman is Lady Deathstrike (not the comic incarnation).

* * *

**Chapter 39: Chapter 39**

* * *

**Incident Report**  
Cyclops  
17/10/00

At approximately 0030 this morning Jean and I were woken up by loud shouting and crashing noises coming from the floor above. That floor of the teacher's wing is occupied exclusively by Rogue and Wolverine. We have had a few small altercations in the past between the two and members of the school and the couple have been known to have intercourse loud enough to be heard from our room. But the noise worried both of us. Jean stated she felt something bad was going on. We both made ourselves quickly presentable, I changed over to my combat-visor and we left our room. Jean first went to check out the status of our newest occupant at the end of our hall. As I made it to the staircase Jean shouted to me that the room was empty and the window was open. I ran up the stairs towards Wolverine and Rogues room expecting the worst. As I got to the doorway I heard the sound of fighting coming from their room. Jean caught up and telekinetically opened the lock before I could decide whether to use my optic-blast or shoulder to open it.

Once inside the room it looked like a tornado had hit it. The window was smashed and glass was everywhere. The wardrobe and was flattened, the reading table was upended and there was a large dent in the wall. There was also blood literally everywhere. Mostly spray and splatter. Jean and I heard commotion in the room's on-suite bathroom, and the trail of blood and long gouges in the walls seemed to head that way. I entered the bathroom first prepared to optic-blast any threats, but was quickly surprised by what I saw. Wolverine and Rogue both had their claws drawn, and had pinned the our unknown woman to the wall. Wolverine had his claws in her chest; Rogue had her own claws in the arm and neck of the woman. My first thought was some kind of foul play on behalf of Wolverine or Rogue, but once the pair realized Jean and I were there, they calmed down; Wolverine more so initially. It was only when I got closer I noticed that the mystery woman had claws. Not exactly like Wolverine or Rogue's, more cat-like, but made of the same silvery metal.

Wolverine explained the events and I will describe them as he told them to me. He and Rogue were asleep in bed; the new woman came to their window. They saw her claws, they readied their own claws. A fight broke out, and ended up in the bathroom. Jean at this point told Rogue she could remove her claws from the woman's neck, to which both Rogue and Wolverine were adamant that was a bad idea. Wolverine explained that she was able to heal just like them and that keeping her claws in her neck and keeping her spinal cord severed was the only think stopping her from going 'ape-shit' again. Upon closer inspection I noticed that the woman was conscious and looking around the room. She appeared frightened and confused.

I was initially skeptical of Wolverine's telling of events, but Jean told me something wasn't right with the woman. So I decided it was more likely the occasionally grouchy Wolverine and Rogue were the less likely culprits, and given that it was their room that had been leveled I was inclined to take action to detain the woman. Jean informed us that she still had a chair down in the basement built to hold either Wolverine or Rogue and that it would do for our new prisoner. So in a rather awkward struggle Jean telekinetically lifted the woman while Rogue walked along side with her claws still in her neck. It was all rather odd, and thankfully we ran into no students on our way to the lab downstairs. Jean told me she telepathically alerted the Professor and Storm caught up to us at the elevator.

Once in the lab Jean lowered the woman to the examination table and went to prepare the restraining chair in the isolation room. Wolverine was hovering menacingly next to the woman, while Storm was catching up with event from Rogue. Eventually we got the woman into the chair and Jean secured the restraints. Jean then applied a dose of a sedative designed to work against Logan and Rogues healing. Once the sedative was applied the woman lost consciousness and Rogue slowly removed her claws from her neck. Just as they said, the wound healed over in a matter of a few seconds. Jean proceeded to attach monitoring devices for her vital signs, and I setup 24hr monitoring so the woman can be monitored in our isolation room whenever we need. Begrudgingly Wolverine and Rogue went back up to what remained of their room as I went to meet with the Professor and offer him an update.

The last report from Jean states the woman has regained consciousness and has not said or done anything. The Professor states he will get to the bottom of this as soon as possible.

Nothing Further to Report.

* * *

AN: Just a short report on the events of last chapter. Plus one internet point for anyone who can spot the difference between Rogues point of view of events and Logan's telling to Scott. Damn OSHA making people write up incident reports on every little thing that happens.

* * *

**Chapter 40: Chapter 40**

* * *

**Journal of C.F. Xavier  
** _October 17_ _th_ _2000_

Last night our new guest attacked Rogue and Logan. Jean notified me after the woman had been subdued and they were taking her to the med-lab to secure her. Later when Scott came and gave me the details I was horrified. He described at length the destruction of the couple's room, the blood covering their tattered clothes. I was supposed to protect them, but instead I invited a killer into my school in some vain attempt to help everyone and everything that crosses my path. No. This was not a charity case gone wrong, this feels too methodical. Tomorrow I am going to contact those Canadians who brought the woman to me in the first place. If they don't wish to give me the answers I seek; well thankfully I know a young girl who walks through walls and is happily bribed by spending money and new electronic gadgets. I most certainly will get to the bottom of this.

I spoke to Logan and Rogue in the afternoon and professed my sorrow that they had to endure more hardship while they were trying to piece themselves back together. It surprised me that they were rather upbeat about it all. Part of me thinks a bit of excitement and adventure may be a healthy thing for our mansions newest couple. The duo left in an oddly relaxed mood. But it doesn't alleviate my guilt. I must be more careful who I bring into this place. What if the woman strapped to a chair in the basement had picked someone less capable as her victim.

That brings me to ponder, why Rogue and Logan. I have heard Jean's description of her claws myself, and Jean thinks that like Rogue and Logan she too has adamantium infused into her bones. This brings me to one logical conclusion, someone connected to the procedures done to Logan and Rogue is also the same someone has brought this mess to my school. I think tomorrow I will also add having a conversation with our mystery guest to my list of things needed addressing. This begs the question; would I be unable to enter her mind as I would with Logan and Rogue due to the metal plating on their skulls? At this point I am not above prying answers from her mind if it means forestalling a threat to the students. I can almost hear Erik's delighted laughter at this.

_October 18_ _th_ _2000_

Her mind is a jumble. It is a disorganised mess. It is what I imagine Rogue and Logan's mind would be like if they had not had each other. The woman is perplexing. One moment she is calm and fearful of anyone who approaches or talks to her. The next moment she is a vicious lioness struggling to break free. Robert has been pleading with me to tell him what has gone on, but I do not have the heart. I think the woman may have had an effect on him. I will have to tell him eventually, but for now I am juggling too many problems. The Canadian mental clinic kept brushing off my calls stating business or people being off sick. So far I have no clue as to what has brought this troubled young woman to my school and why she attacked Logan and Rogue.

Speaking of our resident feral couple, I received a large amount of complaints from the older students that Rogue and Logan have monopolized the Danger Room for the entire day. When I asked Logan about it at dinner, he mentioned that Rogue wanted to learn to fight 'less Logan-y and more Rogue-y'. I am not entirely certain what he means by that but I get the gist. Despite the goings on Logan and Rogue were in high spirits during dinner, which just made the glum looks on Jean and Scott's face's look more out of place. Ororo is as ever smiling and relaxed. Something's will never change.

I think will try once more tomorrow to get information from those Canadian's before I ask Scott to set up an infiltration mission with Katherine and Jean to take what answers we need. Other than that I think I must have a think about how to tell Robert about recent events. I hope he will not take it too harshly. The last thing he needs right now is for a woman he had an innocent crush on to turn out to be an attempted murderer. I think I empathise with Robert's plight a lot; his romantic interactions seem to have been eerily similar to my own at that age. The outcomes of my own romantic questing all proved to be very dishearteningly similar to Roberts. Perhaps I am taking an interest because I wish to re-write history somewhat. Regardless I will do my best for Robert.

Before I forget, I must remember to tell Ororo that her new haircut looks nice tomorrow. If nobody mentions the change, it will rain all afternoon.

* * *

AN: Look out, more plot. Sorry to any Storm fans out there, I sort of made her a more carefree character than a semi-badass with horrible one-liners. Also this is the 40th chapter. It seems easier if I swapped out writing for injecting glue into my arms at this point.

* * *

**Chapter 41: Chapter 41**

* * *

Bobby Drake stepped into the isolation room slowly and his eyes landed on the woman restrained in the big metal chair. His eyes followed the IV's sticking out of her arm and the small leads that went into her shirt from a machine monitoring her vital signs. The room was silent as Jean left the machine on mute.

"Hey" he whispered hoarsely to the woman in the chair. Her eyes immediately snapped up to meet his. Bobby's resolve broke a little as he saw the anguish and fear in her eyes. "Why did you do it?" he asked as he took a seat in front of her.

She remained silent as the minutes ticked by, her gaze fixed on Bobby's. "'m sorry" she muttered quietly. Bobby's eyes shot up from the floor and saw her staring at him.

"Why did you do it?" has asked sadly as he shuffled the chair closer.

"Don't... know" she replied slowly with slightly more surety in her voice than before. "Didn't... mean" she muttered as her eyes welled with tears.

"Shh, it OK" Bobby soothed as he placed his hand comfortingly on her knee. "If anyone can fix what's happening with you, it will be the Professor. OK?"

"OK" she answered slowly nodding her head lightly. Tears were now dropping freely from her eyes. "Can't... stop... sometimes" she whispered sadly looking at Bobby.

"Why can't you?" replied the blond as he felt his own eyes get watery.

"Don't... know... just" she began, but then paused thinking on what she was trying to say. "Happens... sometimes... I'm... just... watching".

"Oh god" muttered Bobby as he continued stroking her knee comfortingly. In the back of his mind he knew she could be playing him as the Professor warned him. But he couldn't believe it, it had to be true. Someone was controlling her.

"What's... your name?" she mumbled looking him in the eye.

"My name?" said Bobby thinking aloud. He had told her his name, had she forgotten? "My name is Bobby".

"No... your real name" she said quietly looking at him with great intensity. Bobby sat there thinking for several moments before his mind clicked.

"Iceman... my name is Iceman" he said smiling lightly at her. "Do you have a name?"

"I think... Lady Deathstrike... someone... called me" she said slowly, thinking hard about each word. "Is it... bad name?" she asked looking at Bobby's confused face.

"No. But let's just go with Lady. Easier to say" he answered smiling gently. Bobby sat there thinking over all the time he spent talking to Lady and she never spoke this much. All he could wonder is 'what changed?'

"Lady..." she repeated sounding out the word into the silent room. "OK... not... bad name?" she asked.

"No, it's a good name. Better than some here" he said thinking on some of the more eccentric mutant names he had heard.

"Will you stay... talk... like before" she whispered meekly, her eyes once again filling with tears.

"Of course I will" said Bobby proudly as he moved his chair closer.

"Not... too close... might... hurt you" she mumbled looking at Bobby with sadness in her eyes.

"OK" said Bobby as he drew his chair back slightly. "Better?" he asked. Lady just nodded gently as she looked down at the floor. Bobby took in a deep breath and relaxed a little as he began to talk about the school and classes to an attentive Lady.

* * *

AN: Another dialog. Try to suspend you disbelief at a mutant named Lady. There a way worse named character in the cannon...  
Fun Fact: Lady Deathstrike is sometimes known as Lady Deathstryke...

* * *

**Chapter 42: Chapter 42**

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**Journal of C.F. Xavier  
** _October 21_ _st_ _2000_

I believe we have finally made some progress on our mystery woman. Yesterday after what I would call a monumental amount of pestering I gave in and told Robert what had transpired in Rogue and Logan's bedroom last week. He was deeply upset at first but in the end asked if he could go talk to her. I reluctantly agreed providing he would allow Jean to monitor his conversation using the security cameras. He very quickly accepted my condition and went off to the med-lab. I fretted over my decision to tell Robert for quite some time until Jean came to my office and told me what had occurred in the isolation room.

It would seem Robert is having a positive effect on the young woman. He even got her to tell her his name: Lady Deathstrike. Quite a macabre name but Robert decided Lady was a more apt name for her. I quite agree. I witnessed through the video recordings that Lady spoke more to Robert than I had heard her speak in the entire time she has been at the mansion. She told him at she at times experiences an out of body like sensation, specifically when she attacked Logan and Rogue. This could be either a form of psychosis or some form of mind control or brain washing. The moment I heard her utter those words on the tape, I immediately thought of William Stryker and what I read in the reports from the facility where Rogue and Logan were held.

Lady's confusion at her violent attack appears genuine. But I am not so naive to think it isn't possible that she could be manipulating Robert, and myself by proxy. It is still entirely within the realm of possibility that she has some form of mental illness and she is attempting to shift blame. I will have to put a plan in place to determine what caused her attack on Logan and Rogue. If I am being honest, I hope it is brainwashing; for Robert's sake. I spoke to him this morning and we discussed Lady and his conversation with her. He asked to visit her again today after classes and I told him I think it a good idea. I suggested a few topics and questions to ask her in the hopes I may get more specifics on her experiences when she loses control.

In other news I finally got in contact with the Canadians and they were most unhelpful. They passed the issue off as my mismanagement of the patient and essentially told me it was my mess to clean up followed by a very insincere apology. After I very crudely told him where they could place that apology I hung up on them. I arrange for Scott and Katherine to create a plan to access their computer files. Katherine this time did not ask for anything in return, which perplexed me but I won't turn down a free lunch. Scott says he is prepared to go tonight and plans to have himself Jean and Katherine back by morning. I do hope the files will have some clue as to who Lady is and why she attacked Logan and Rogue.

_October 22_ _nd_ _2000_

Scott's trip north was a success. Katherine got into the building and copied a large amount of data without any disturbances. Jean and I are still reviewing the data and we think we have found Lady's file. It would appear very unhelpful. She was brought in to the mental health clinic unresponsive by RCMP officers and with no explanation as to her history. RCMP just told them to keep her alive and try to get her to talk. She remained unresponsive in the duration of her say. She ate, slept and did nothing else. After a few weeks the clinic doctors were told by RCMP to cut her loose and she had no further value to their investigation. That is the entirety of the information in that file, padded out to four pages with doctor's waffling on.

I am very disheartened. Why did instead of cutting her loose as they were told, did they wait three days before contacting me. Why did they request that I become Lady's carer? It is all very confusing. There must be a reason why they sent her here. What is her connection to Rogue and Logan? She has the same healing, the same adamantium bonded to her bones. It would seem obvious she was another one of Stryker's experiments, but why was she sent here? Was her mission to kill Rogue and Logan? Capture them perhaps? If she is being controlled, by who and how? I have too many questions and not enough information. Jean is still going through the data from the mental health clinic; I too will continue examining the data later tonight. Hopefully there is something to guide our search. A hidden file, an interdepartmental memo, anything.

Meanwhile Rogue and Logan have been occupying the Danger Room almost all day since the night they were attacked. If it wasn't for their easy smiles and relaxed attitude I would say something was wrong. I had a talk with Rogue and she tells me she simply wants to be able to defend Logan and herself better. Not depend on whatever training and skills are locked in her head leftover from Logan. I think it is a healthy goal, if a little obsessively sought after. But then again this is our resident ferals I am speaking of, so it is to be expected. Scott tells me he looked in on their sessions yesterday and he thinks Rogue has improved greatly. He even thinks Logan is moving more fluidly and faster. I must remember when I get the chance, to talk to Logan about their sessions and ask how they are progressing. So many balls to keep in the air and not enough hands.

* * *

AN: I know I've done a few of these entries lately. Sorry about that. If the whole mystery conspiracy plot isn't work for people, let me know. I think this story needs a breather chapter or two.

* * *

**Chapter 43: Chapter 43**

* * *

**Rogue's Diary  
** _Anyone found reading this will be clawed!_

_October 21_ _st_ _2000_

Ever since that crazy woman came in our window and attacked us; Logan and I have been going nuts with training in the Danger Room. Well that and filling our new room with our scent. That's my excuse as to why I haven't been doing my diary stuff lately. I have to say spending all day in the Danger Room has been fun as hell. Especially since fatigue and bruises are a thing other people have to deal with; not us. It even makes the complaints from the students whose Danger Room time we are shamelessly using. Screw them, me and Logan haven't had this much fun in ages. It's kind of like getting to know and old friend. The training isn't just for me, Logan say's he needs it to get himself used to the weight of the adamantium in his body. He told me that during our little brawl with crazy-girl he felt like the metal's weight was holding him back.

So we've spent the better part of the week, training in the Danger Room. At first I told Logan that I wanted to fight like the crazy-girl. But he wasn't going to coddle me. He told me my body isn't built for flipping about and gymnastics. I would have been angry if a part of my mind agreed with his analysis. He told me, I am small, and I should be small. I should fight lower to the ground, and strike out at opponent's thighs and groin. He showed me where the femoral artery is; and then proceeded to tell me that it bleeds just as fast as the neck. I was kind of clumsy and felt really awkward at first. Like I was more kneeling and trying to break dance and fight at the same time. But I kept at it and eventually my balance got better. I can now move and fight crouched down with my knees barely touching the ground and shuffle around side to side dodging and circling with ease. But Logan thinks I need to be able to add some speed in there to close the distance between me and opponents.

So to speed up I've gotten a bit animal; whereas before I could move in my crouch posture I couldn't move as fast as Logan at full charge. When we we're just goofing around I started using my hand on the ground to help move faster. And it worked like a charm and now when I try to sprint while maintaining my low crouch I occasionally use my arms to lever myself forward. Of course I look like a mad-woman who thinks she is part panther, but it is sure effective. Logan taught me that when striking upwards with my claws from my lower position, if I straighten my knees in time with my slash it puts way more power into the strike. I actually split a simulated bad-guy in half from groin to neck. Kitty and Jubilee even joined us for a session (Logan turned down the hazard settings begrudgingly) and they went nuts when they saw me moving about like I was. I admit it must look really funny at times. We had a blast with the girls. Literally: Jubilee let off a huge plasma bolt thingy and knocked all the Danger Room sensors offline until Kitty could restart it.

Logan has gotten way faster too. He has had to change how she shifts his weight as he moves. Once or twice I got to see him tumble down on his ass as he overshot a slash with his claws and spun himself around. I extorted a couple of very good nights in bed in return for never mentioning his little tumbles. I wonder if I can somehow get him to mess up again, I've had an idea I've wanted to try out for weeks. I think me and Logan are going to keep up with our Danger Room sessions until we feel we've really gotten the hang of our fighting styles. We talked a bit about whether I should use my poison skin in a fight, but I told Logan I think that having someone's imprint in my head will not be fun for me. Besides I wear gloves so I can move about easier when I'm low to the ground.

Earlier Logan and I sat at our new window as we watched the X-Men go off on some mission or other in the Blackbird. I told him I kind of feel guilty staying here at the mansion and not helping out with their missions. Logan said he kind of wanted to help out too, but he said that if they want our help they will ask us. I think he is right; they may not actually want our help. We are kind of messed up and have some issues going on, and that doesn't make for a huge amount of team trust. I guess we just want to do something useful with the shitty hand we were dealt. Maybe helping out the Professor and the mansion will make us feel like the shit we went through was worth it.

I'd keep writing, but at the moment Logan is laying in bed wearing only his evil sex grin. He's trying to tempt me into pouncing him. So I'm just going to write a bit more, make him think I am ignoring him. It probably won't work; he can most likely already smell my desire coming off of me. Ah to hell with it, diary stuff isn't that important...

* * *

AN: Marie's new fighting style is based somewhat on real ones mostly. The aim is to keep low with bent knees and hunched shoulders and only spring up to deliver a strike. And with Marie's already short stature, it will make her much often taller opponents easier to deal with. In real life the downside to this would be slow movement speed due to having less leg length to work with. Marie has compensated by bring her hands and arms in to pull herself along and balance herself.

* * *

**Chapter 44: Chapter 44**

* * *

Typical of Logan, I'm here trying to keep up with my diary entries, and he's over there smelling like sex incarnate. I look over my shoulder quickly and he is flashing his best grin at me. I love that grin, because it gets reserved only for me when we are alone. I turn back to my diary and my writing becomes clumsy and illegible as I hear his jeans and tank top hit the floor. But I persevere; I promised the Professor I would keep up with my diary. I quickly glance over my shoulder; he is naked as a jay bird and wearing only his bedroom smile.

"You comin' to bed darling" he says to me cheekily somewhere behind me. I finish writing my last sentence and close the diary. Oh he is going to get it, teasing me like that. I stand up and walk slowly to our new wardrobe; swinging my hips deliberately with each step. I can feel his eyes boring into my ass as I open the wardrobe and bend over to look inside. I shuffle things around trying to find our gear bag from our Danger Room sessions. I can hear his heartbeat go nuts and his aroused musk is filling my lungs with each breath.

"One moment sugar" I tell him playfully as I finally find our gear bag and open it up. I give a small cheer as I find the leather harness and pull it free of the tangle of gear and leather clothing in the bag. I turn with a triumphant smile holding the harness aloft and smirk at Logan's confused expression.

"What's with the holster strap?" he asks me. I step forward slowly to the edge of the bed. It seems now I'm the one with the bedroom grin. I unclip the pistol holster and drop it to the floor as I gently kick off my shoes.

"This is punishment for being such a tease" I tell him in a husky voice as I kneel onto the bed. His eyes light up and I see his lips curl up in anticipation. I shuffle up the bed and seat myself in Logan lap. He wraps his arms around me and grips my jean clad ass in each hand. I love the feel of his hands massaging me, but right now I am not letting him distract me. I lean in and lock my lips to his and I feel his tongue snake into my mouth in search of my own. He's distracted with our kiss. So am I if I'm being honest, but I have a plan to keep me focused. I draw my hands back and wrap them around each of Logan's wrists. He just deepens the kiss and I begin drawing in our combined scent through my nose. I take each of Logan's wrists and move them slowly towards our headboard.

I lean my head into our kiss and Logan leans back to the pillows. I can feel his cock throbbing lightly through my jeans and the very thought makes me ache. I move each of Logan's wrists up against one of the wooden pillars on our headboard. Holding the leather harness and his wrists I break the kiss and look down at him.

"This OK?" I ask him. He just smiles up at me and lifts his hips to grind against my center. A groan leaves each of our mouths as he leans up to kiss me. "I need you to say it sugar!" I tell him desperately dodging his incoming kiss.

"It's OK" he tells me. "Will always be OK when it's you darlin'". I smile deeply despite myself. I want to play the role of punishing woman, but I can't when he is being sweet. I just nod my head and wrap the leather harness around his wrists and the wooden pillar. I connect the ends of the harness and I hear a metallic click as they lock together. He looks up interestedly as I pull the harness tight binding his arms above his head. Sure he could just use his claws to get free, so I guess we're going on the honor system here tonight. I smile down at him and kiss his cheek warmly.

"Too tight?" I ask him.

"Nah, it's fine" he replies lifting his head and nuzzling into my neck. I rock back and sit on the balls of my feet and he looks at me confused for a moment. But that confusion turns to lust as I drag my long-sleeve shirt over my head and throw it over the side of the bed. His eyes lock onto my breasts as I reach back and undo the clasp of my bra. My breasts spill free as the bra falls loose and I gather it up and throw it over too. I smile at him seductively as I lean forward and press my breasts into his face. In the back of my mind I remember I was trying to punish him, but that thought disappears when Logan latches his mouth onto one of my nipples and suckles gently.

I let out a low gasp as I feel his teeth nip my nipple. His eyes are locked onto mine as his tongue laves against the nipple to sooth the bite. I raise myself up and he whimpers like a dog that had his favorite toy taken away. It makes me smile as I lean in and lock my lips to his. Before he has the chance this time, I thrust my tongue in his mouth as our kiss deepens. I take my hands from their place either side of his head and run them over his chest. I let my fingertips trace the lines of his muscles and then work their way up to his shoulders. Our kiss goes on and Logan's mouth is practically sucking my tongue inside. Drawing on all my will power I push up from Logan and look down at him. I feel lightheaded just from that kiss, and if Logan's goofy expression is anything to go by; he does too.

I stand up from my crouched position and look down at him as I stand over him. He looks up at me with an expression that makes my core burn even hotter for him. I feel like a goddess when he looks at me like that. I smile like the benevolent goddess I feel I am as I pop open the button on my jeans. The sound of his breathing and the rasp of my zipper fill the room. I shimmy the jeans down my legs and flick them over the side of the bed with my foot. I let lose one of my claws and cut the straps of my panties on each side. The sound of my claw coming free make Logan's aroused scent kick up a few notches. Good to know my claws get to him the same way his get to me. I discard the shredded panties and retract my claws as I sit back down straddling Logan's lap.

"God, you are so perfect" he whispers to me. I love the adoration in his voice. I love that even with all the shit we've been through he still looks at me like I am perfect. It fills me with happiness to know he thinks that about me. It makes me think in the end we will be good. No great, we will be magnificent and have loads and loads of awesome mind blowing sex. I feel his cock throb lightly and it makes contact with my wet curls.

"Perfect. And all yours sugar" I say quietly as I rock my hips back grinding down onto his cock. "And you're all mine". He groans loudly at the contact and I hear a whimper leave my mouth. I wish I had the willpower to tease him a bit longer but I don't. I snake my hand between us and wrap my fingers gently around his weeping cock. I smile down at him as I give it a few gentle strokes and he gasps lightly. My patients has worn out and I line Logan's manhood with my wet core and drop my whole weight down onto him.

As I feel Logan's cock drive deep into my center I give a loud cry to match Logan's guttural growl. It is the same as it always is, I feel full. I feel complete and most of all I feel connected to my mate. I grind my hips forward slightly and a loud gasp escapes Logan and I smile evilly down at him.

He looks up at me with pleading eyes. He thinks I am going to tease him. If he could focus he would know I am just as on the edge and desperate for release as he is. I place my hands on his shoulders and lever myself forward; dragging his cock from my channel. As I feel his cock almost slip from me I slam myself back down impaling myself drawing more loud moans from both of us. I start rocking back and forth and I feel his cock pumping in and out of me. I like being able to control the tempo of our love making. I know I intended this to be a hard fuck but my plan has somewhat shifted to fit the mood. I hear his groans of pleasure each time I slam my hips back down to meet his. I can feel the slickness between my thighs building and I see the sheen of sweat building on Logan's chest. I wonder for a moment why he is sweating when I'm doing all the work, and it makes me smile.

Logan's eyes are fixed onto my swaying breasts and I would be offended if it wasn't helplessly male. I thrust my chest forward to improve his view as I increase the speed of my rocking. I am crying out with each downward thrust and I feel my heartbeat ratcheting up higher and higher. I feel the blood pounding in my ear and I can smell the scent of our passion. Logan is groaning loudly in sync with my thrusts and that encourages me to rock faster. Logan lifts his head slightly to nip at one of my breasts as they sway near his face. I feel his teeth graze the nipple lightly as I rock back out of his reach.

I can feel my end soon, I hope he is close. Sometimes the stubborn git thinks he needs to hold on forever like it's a proof of his manhood. A better proof would be to finish when I bloody well need it. I throw my head back and close my eyes as I continue rocking back and forth at a lightning pace. My cries and shouts are now becoming constant as I hear Logan grunting and groaning below me. I wonder idly if he is still looking at my breasts before I dismiss it as a stupid question. I feel Logan's hips pick up and he starts thrusting up in time with my hips. I open my eyes and look down at him, he is biting his lip and I can see a bit of blood between his teeth. Sweat is beading on his forehead and I can tell he is close.

"Let go sugar" I tell him between loud cries. "Just do it" I demand as I throw my hips downwards as hard as possible. At my words Logan's hips snap upwards and a long loud moan escapes his lips. I can feel his cock pulsing inside me and I feel the warmth of his release fill me. I slow my thrusts slightly as I watch in wide eyed fascination as the look of intense pleasure crosses my mates face. I just rock gently watching as his eyes open and he looks at me. I start grinding myself in circles on his slowly softening cock. Each circle I grind my clitoris rubs perfectly against his pelvis. Each circle sends a lightning bolt of pleasure up my spine and I let out a sharp cry.

I am so close. I keep circling roughly as I feel Logan's warmth drip down through my wet folds. I can see him smiling at me and see he is whispering words I can't concentrate on. I keep swirling my hips faster and faster. All I can feel is the sensation of my clitoris grinding down on Logan and the burning bubble of pleasure that has been building tightly inside me. I circle my hips one last time and I feel the bubble burst and a wailing scream forces itself out of my mouth. My eyes closed without my permission and all I can see is stars as my pleasure shoots through me. I feel my orgasm wash over me and I gently circle my hips one more time. My clitoris grazes against Logan and I feel another bolt of pleasure rock up my spine and I let out a groan.

I open my eyes and look down at Logan. My pleasure is receding and I can think straight again. I go limp and flop down on top of Logan. My breasts are tingling and sensitive and I let out a gasp as they press into his chest. I can hear him mumbling words into my ear, but I don't really hear them. I just nod my head and I let one of my claws free. I cut the leather harness binding Logan's wrists. We can always get another one.

Logan wraps him arms around me and soothingly strokes me with his calloused hands. I feel safe and sated as we lay here basking in our afterglow. I can't help but think this is one of those moments Jube's was telling me about that you need a cigarette for. I giggle lightly into Logan's shoulder at the thought and press a kiss to the side of his neck. I can feel Logan's arm fussing with something but I don't bother to look up. The softness of our blanket covers me as I feel his arm wrap back around me.

"You OK darling?" he asks me softly, as he lightly nuzzles his face into my shoulder.

"Yeah, just perfect" I tell him smiling as I feel his hands rub soothing circles into my back. I feel so light and my abdomen feels sore. Give it a minute and my healing will deal with that.

"Good" he says as his hands still. "Love you Marie".

"Love you too sugar" I tell him sleepily as I yawn sleepily. "Night".

"G'night babe" he mutters as I feel his breathing even out. All I can think before sleep takes me is I need to try this more often.

* * *

AN: Damn that was a long chapter. Hope the theme of this chapter doesn't weird anyone out. Well, I promised a few breather chapters, so here we are.

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**Chapter 45: Chapter 45**

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**Journal of C.F. Xavier  
** _October 24_ _th_ _2000_

We have had a breakthrough. Those Canadian doctors were advised through an email from RCMP contacts that it would be beneficial to send Lady to me here at the masnion. The email provided contact detail and the address for the mansion. This appears innocent enough. I am certain the Canadians much like their counterparts here in the US most likely have a file on me and the school. The suspect part of the email comes when it came from an IP address in Texas; at least according to Katherine she tells me the email source spoofed a RCMP email address. I asked if she could narrow the location down to a specific address. Katherine then gave me a very long tirade that computers and the internet do not work that way. I was amused that I was being lectured about the internet by the usually very timid Katherine Pryde.

Sadly all she could confirm is that the IP address that logged into the mail server to send the email was and IP address assigned to a Texas owned ISP. I wish I actually understood in greater depth what this means, but I am assured by Katherine that it means whoever emailed the Canadians was in Texas when the sent the information about me and was pretending to be the RCMP. Scott did a quick check and confirmed he could not find any RCMP resources in Texas, which was wholly expected but I had to be certain.

My sessions in Cerebro have been focusing around Austin in the hopes I may pick up some information. Scott tells me the data we got from the Pentagon on mutant experimentation facilities also pointed towards a facility in Texas. The file is heavily redacted, but upon my examination of the facilities financial records; the facility's land ownership and funding was funded in the exact same manner as other projects run by William Stryker. I am grateful for the Pentagon's almost obsessive need for financial data and counting every penny.

All this is circumstantial but it all points towards William Stryker. Lady's adamantium claws, the financial records, the facility in Texas and the faked RCMP email. I have several theories. First; Stryker is not retired and it is merely a cover story so he may act independently on mutant experimentation programs. Second; he has gone rogue and has either taken over a facility in Texas or has reestablished said facility. Third; this is all a coincidence and someone is pulling my chain. I recall reading in one of Scott's reports a suggestion to visit the British Virgin Islands was in store to find land ownership information connected to the White Mountains Project. I will talk to Jean and Scott about it tomorrow morning. It should be a simple matter. Unfortunately Jean and possibly Ororo will want to stay for a day in the sun. I wish I was able to give them the time to relax they deserve, but someone is targeting this school. Someone may also by possibly targeting Logan and Rogue. We have little time to waste.

_October 27_ _th_ _2000_

Jean was quite displeased that the X-Men's trip to the British Virgin Islands would not allow for any beaches or sun. She understood all the same. Early this morning I watched as the Blackbird came home and Scott immediately brought me a small stack of files they had retrieved. It would that the shell corporation that owns the land on which the White Mountains Project was conducted; was limited entirely to a post office box listed under a false name. With very little effort I am told Jean opened the box and took copies of everything there. The X-Men left the box as they found it. I began reading at that small stack of documents and files like a man in the desert would go after water. I think I have found the location of the facility in Texas. It is a remote address not far from Corpus Christi. I asked Jean to double check I wasn't just being overly hopeful but she concurred with my conclusion.

The files from the BVI also showed the purchase and shipping of equipment and parts in the last six months. I recognised some of those part numbers. They are the same as the ones you would find on Cerebro. The facts are starting to make sense. Stryker's mystery mind control serum. A device similar in function to Cerebro. William Stryker. The facility in Texas. Lady's attack on Logan and Rogue.

I gathered the X-Men along with Logan and Rogue. I think after their little run in with Lady they have a right to be kept in the loop. Jean and I outlaid all the information we knew and Scott provided what her knew from his and Jeans analysis of the Pentagon files. This would not be a simple task as usually facilities we infiltrate. The financial records show a large amount people were drawing a guardsman's wage. The X-Men are an excellent team and I could not be more proud of them, but I will not send them into a facility without evening the odds. If Stryker has a telepathic mutant under his control he will be a formidable foe. We need more information before we can move.

_October 28_ _th_ _2000_

Logan and Rogue have gone. They must have left in the night taking one SUVs. They left a note in on their bed. 'Gone to Corpus Christi, back in a few days.'

They have gone to confront Stryker. Once Jean brought me the note I telepathically contacted Scott to come to my office. I told him what had happened and that he needed to find Logan and Rogue. He told me he would activate the SUV's GPS and track the car. He could easily catch up long before they got to Texas.

Scott came back to my office a quarter hour later fuming. Apparently either Rogue or Logan had done some damage to the Blackbird. He tells me he cannot even take off without spinning out of control. It appears Logan and Rogue wished for no interference. I am quite literally sick with worry. I spent all afternoon in Cerebro trying in vain to find them. I know their adamantium skulls will block me be I felt I needed to do something. Anything.

Jean eventually remembered the SUV had a in-car phone. After it rang a few times the line went engaged and has been each time I've called since. Scott has been in his room with Jean all evening watching the GPS signal of the SUV get closer and closer to Texas. Chasing after them would be pointless; they had seven hours head start. Only the Blackbird would have allowed us the catch up and it seems Rogue and Logan thought so too. I can only hope that Logan and Rogue come back safe and unharmed so Scott has the chance to optic-blast the pair of them for damaging his beloved Blackbird.

All I keep telling myself as I write this is Logan and Rogue are both strong and clever. They heal and have unbreakable metal fused to their bones. If anyone has the best chance of survival it is those two. I wish I could look out the window and see them returning, and sheepishly admit their overzealousness. But I don't believe that would be in them. Stryker harmed them, and they more than anything else will not take having their mate harmed lightly. Scott has ordered the parts required through the usual channels and he thinks he can get the Blackbird fixed in three or four days. By then it will be too late to help our feral friends.

If I wasn't so worried for them I would be furious. Then again, I have always been a worrier.

* * *

AN: It is possible to guesstimate where a user is using their IP address, but anything specific will require access the the ISP's internal logs. So at long last the plot removes its mask to take a bow, stumbles over and cracks it's skull on the coffee table; leaving an awkward silence and a pool of blood on the carpet. If anyone has any questions or think's something doesn't make sense, let me know.

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**Chapter 46: Chapter 46**

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**Rogue's Diary  
** _Anyone found reading this will be clawed!_

_October 28_ _th_ _2000_

I know it's kind of dumb keeping up with the diary but I find it relaxes me. Logan and I left the mansion last night. We swiped a few grand in petty cash and drove off in the black SUV I'm currently sitting. I had to talk Logan down from wanting to take one of Scott's sports cars. When the 'don't piss of Scott' speech didn't work I had to point out a sports car is not really what we need tactically. He bought it and we took one of the nondescript SUVs out of the Professors collection. OK so I'm getting ahead of myself. Yesterday the Professor called me and Logan to his office along with the X-Men. He told us that the reason we were attacked in our room the other week was all setup by Stryker. The same Stryker who ran the program that cut into Logan and me and poured molten metal into our bodies. The same Stryker who if Lady (her name really doesn't fit) is anything to go by, is still running projects butchering people. We kept our cool, but the scent alone from Logan told me he was also furious.

That night we decided that the Professors 'wait for more info' plan wasn't good enough for us. We were tired of our impotent fury that someone had hurt our mate and now we had a perfectly viable target to take out that fury on. Logan said the Professor would end up sending in the X-Men, and that it would be on us if any of them got hurt. I know Logan doesn't see eye to eye with Scott and I've made his friendships with Storm and Jean strained. But I know he still cares if they get hurt. So we came up with our own plan. First we needed to stop the X-Men following us, so I went down to the hanger and stuck my claws in some important looking hydraulics on the Blackbird. I felt bad for Scott, but I really couldn't take it if he came after us and got hurt. Logan went to the Professors office and took some of the petty cash he keeps in his desk. We met up in the garage and had a good long argument about the merits of stealing Scott's new Mazda.

And that is how I ended up here in the passenger seat of the SUV passing through Atlanta. At first Logan and me were worried we couldn't drive. After a few miles that fear faded as it became obvious Logan could drive. When we got to Baltimore I took over driving, very hesitantly at first. But it would seem either I used to be able to drive or Logan's driving skills are still knocking about in my head. Either way I drove us to the North Carolina border and changed out with Logan. He's been driving a while but he seems fine. We've just been talking and letting ourselves see the outside world for a change. We only really thought about it when we were driving down the driveway; we had only really been in the facility, the forrest and the mansion. It is nice driving with Logan. It feels familiar, like I used to go driving across the country all the time. I wonder if when we get done with Stryker we could go for another road-trip; with less preparing for a fight and more pit stops for sex. That might be fun.

I know in the back of my mind that me and Logan could get killed somehow, and everything could go wrong. But it doesn't bother me, Stryker hurt my man and I am going to fill him full of claws. And if in the process we keep the X-Men safe and no longer let trouble come to the mansion, all the better. The car phone rang a little while ago, but Logan just ripped it out and threw it out the window. I laughed my ass off. There is a busy switch right next to it to block incoming calls. I just told Logan I think we should find a motel or something near Corpus Christi, something we can go back too. He agreed, said it may be better to pay for a room before we get soaked in blood and riddled with bullets. He's smirking at me. Why are we so wired? Are we the type of people who just love the adrenaline rush or anticipation of a good fight. Well, the Danger Room certainly got us in a good mood so it is possible. I told Logan I would leave my diary with a note to the Professor in the motel room, somewhere the X-Men can find it if the worst happens.

To Charles,  
I know you are probably worried about Logan and me, but don't be. We're happy, and we aren't afraid. We just can't have Stryker hovering over us our whole lives. His existence alone makes it impossible for us to move on. I know you would have sent the team in and it means a lot. But we don't want you fighting our battles for us. If you have found this, we are probably dead or captured. If we are captured, please find a way to either get our minds back or kill us. We don't want to be Stryker's slaves. Don't feel bad if we died. We've been happy at the mansion and we can't thank you enough. If worst comes to worst, and we do get brainwashed and you can't help. Kill us. No guilt, no worry, we wouldn't hold it against you. Just promise me if things go sideways for us; when you tell the tale of Rogue and Wolverine: make sure they know I loved him. No doubt or uncertainty, I simply love him.  
Love, Marie.

Chuck, thanks for looking out for us. I owe you one. Logan.

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AN: More to come.

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**Chapter 47: Chapter 47**

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Logan and I arrived in Corpus Christi an hour ago. The place where the Professor said Stryker was staying is not what either of us expected. It's just an old run down hospital; chain link fence and no lights on inside at all and in the dark of the night it looks empty. They even put up a sign for redevelopment. The only thing that gives this place away is the occasional movement of a sentry on the roof and the large number of security cameras. Logan parked the SUV a few hundred yards down the road in an alley and we have been looking at the unimposing hospital for the last twenty minutes.

We have counted half a dozen sentries, and Logan tells me that means at least three to four times that number to make up round the clock shifts. I told him I don't think we have any option to be smart about it, any way we try to sneak in we will be spotted by either the cameras or the guards. He agreed, and we decided a frontal attack from two metal clawed badass healing mutants will have to suffice. The hospital has two floors, the ground and the top floor. Including the roof that is three levels to cover; that was until Logan spotted ventilation ducts on the side of the building. There must be a basement. I don't think they would have been able to excavate a large area under the building without drawing suspicion so it probably the hospital's regular basement. Logan agrees, but he is worried the place may be bigger than we think. We've got no choice. Scott will fix up the Blackbird in no time and they will be down here and we simply can't risk that.

I can feel my heart beating and adrenaline pumping fast through my veins. I grab Logan by his lapels of his leather jacket and drag him in for a heated kiss. His lips are warm and his hand grips the back of my neck not letting me break the kiss. I pull away slightly and he releases his hand. We just stare at each other for a moment before a smirk spreads across his face.

"Ready darlin'" he asks me.

"Yeah, let's go" I tell him standing up and leaving our hiding place in the bushes. Logan steps up to my side as we cross the road to the hospital. The fence is chain link with razor wire spools across the top, but the gate is just a flimsy metal gate held closed by a chain and a $20 padlock. No alert has gone out yet and Logan steps up to the lock as he claws come out. He slashes the chain through and it falls away ratting to the ground. I push the gate open and we step through. With my good vision at night I think I can see movement on top of the building.

Sure enough two loud cracks echo through the air and I see out the corner of my eye two bullets rip through Logan's midsection. He lets out a grunt of pain and begin running to the building. I lower myself down like we practiced in the Danger Room. I'm keeping pace with Logan and more shots are echoing around us. I can see muzzle flash in a few of the second floor windows and some from the roof. All I can concentrate on is getting in the building where at closed quarters me and Logan will have the advantage. I feel a bullet rip through my thigh and I stumble lightly. Not because of the pain, but I think it may have clipped a tendon.

Two gunmen burst through the hospitals front doors and come face to face with an enraged Logan who with a flurry of slashes dispatches the two and they fall to the floor in a bloody pile. I feel my thigh healing over and move up to the building. Logan bends down and scoops up the two gunmen's radios and throws one to me. I clip it to my belt. Logan steps into the dark hospital and I can hear all sorts of commotion over the radio.

I follow Logan inside to the hospital's lobby and I see Logan's claws knuckle deep in a goon who tried to ambush him. One more gunman comes around the corner of the lobby with an assault rifle. Logan dives at him slashing downwards, cutting the rifle and the man. The man falls limply to the floor as two more gunmen come into the lobby spraying bullets in Logan's direction. I hear him grunt in pain, but I am already on the move. I can think of nothing but the two men gunning for Logan as I move low and quick across the lobby. One gunman turns his gun on me a half second too late as I spring upwards from my crouch and drag my claws up his thigh and out his hip. He falls down screaming in pain. His friend turns to me but I drive my claws deep into his chest.

I pull my claws free and turn to see Logan has dispatched another two who came from the opposite direction. His leather jacket is covered in blood and I can see bullet wounds healing over in his chest and stomach. He just flashes me a grin as he nods his head to the door at the far end of the lobby. I move over to the indicated door and fall into step besides Logan.

We make our way through the hospital clearing each room as we go. Sometimes the guard lay in wait trying to ambush us, but mostly they run into the room spraying bullets everywhere. I got a little panicked when I saw a bullet hit Logan in the eye and he fell down. I went nuts and turned the three guards he was fighting into a bloody pulp on the floor. I rushed back to where Logan was laying on the ground chanting 'he'll be fine' over and over to myself. My panic was for nothing, his healing pushed the bullet out the gaping hole in his face and it healed over. He looked amused as I told him how scared I was. I punched him in the shoulder as we readied ourselves, more footsteps were approaching.

Logan and I left a long bloody trail of bodies through the hospital and eventually we found the stairs; one leading up and one leading down. Logan said he would take the basement while I take the top floor. I wanted to argue but he said if we went together it would give Stryker a chance to escape if we picked the wrong set of stairs. I hated the fact that he was right. I pulled him in for a quick kiss before I bounded up the stairs in search of Stryker as I saw Logan practically jump down the stairs to the basement.

On the top floor there were way less guards and they quite reliably came running when they heard the screams of one of their fellow guardsmen. The radio chatter was thinning out, but I could hear radio calls from guards in the basement asking for assistance. Sadly those calls went unanswered as I was busy clawing my way through the only guards who weren't currently occupied with being a bloody corpse.

I got hit a few times by bullets, mostly in the chest where they bounce of my adamantium ribs. Lucky shots I call it, but in honesty when I'm outnumbered by this many trigger happy assholes, I am bound to get hit. I move along the top floor searching room by room for the man in the photo the Professor showed us. Stryker; I want him dead. Dead for all he has done to Logan. Dead for all he has done to me. I approach the end of the corridor and there is a metal door. It has the words 'Admin' on it. I slash at the lock and kick the door in.

Immediately I hear shots crack loudly through the room; Very loud shots. I dive low and move fast around the edge of the room. It's well lit, and I can see the windows have blackout drapes over them. It looks like an office. I can hear the gun that was firing has emptied, its owner still pulling the trigger creating loud clicks. I raise my head to look in the direction of the shooter. It's him; Stryker. I feel stunned. He is still standing there, a look of righteous fury on his face as he fumbles with reloading his revolver. He is nothing like I imagined. I imagined a devil, a wicked evil man you could practically see the darkness wafting off of. But he is a man, just a man; a man who can't reload a revolver in the heat of the moment. I stalk closer to him and I feel blood dripping down my claws. I must look deranged, but I don't give a damn. He his stumbling backwards into the corner still trying to load his revolver; he has dropped most of the bullets so far.

He finally gets a bullet chambered and closes the cylinder. He raises the gun at me as I continue stalking forwards. He goes to pull the trigger with a smug evil grin on his face but I lunge forwards. I slash upwards as I move low and sidestep the shot. Stryker screams in agony as his hand and revolver fall lamely to the floor. He's looking at me with trembling fear as he holds his bloody stump where his hand used to be. I smile at him. Not the smile I save for Logan, but a victorious smile. The smile of woman who suffered but in the end was the victor.

"Do you know my name?" I ask him as I step closer. He just whimpers as he looks at me. "DO YOU!" I demand loudly. He may be afraid but he just sneers at me.

"I made you Rogue" he spit at me as he points an accusing finger at me. "You were nothing. You were weak, and I made you better!" he continues.

He opens his mouth to continue his tirade but I have no care to listen. I thrust out with my claws and lodge all six deep into his chest. I look him in the eye as the adamantium claws he gave me drive deep into his beating heart. I can feel his warm blood oozing out over my knuckles. I keep watching and listening as he draws raspy breaths. He lets out a bloody cough and I can see blood pooling in his mouth. He loses the strength to stand but I keep him upright impaled on my claws. I see fear in his eyes. The anger and smugness has gone. I hear him drawn in one last wheezy breath before it slowly rasps out. His eyes go dull and his whole body sags. I can't keep supporting his weight so I pull my claws free and let him topple to the floor. Blood starts pooling around him. I can't hear his heart or his breathing. He is dead.

I turn and walk out the door and head back down the corridor. My mind is blank, I can't think of anything at the moment. I note that I haven't heard any chatter on the radio for some time. That's a good sign. I'll go find Logan and we can get on with the rest of our lives...

* * *

AN: I was a little worried about this chapter but I think it came out OK. I think I changed tense a few times, so just ignore that. More to come.

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**Chapter 48: Chapter 48**

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Marie and I got to the place that Chuck says Stryker is hold up. We went off without telling anyone at the mansion. This was our thing to deal with, and if they got killed fighting our battle it would really screw with my head. So we got down here to Texas and kicked the door in. We cut our way though Stryker's guards and made our way into the hospital. I got shot in the eye and went down for a minute. The look on Marie's face when my I came back to consciousness was adorable and made me want to tease her a little.

Well I shook of the bullet to the face and we kept going onward until we came to some stairs. I didn't really want to but we had to split up. If we went together Stryker could sneak off and the extra time it would take us to clear the place would give the cops plenty of time to respond to the gunfire. So Marie went upstairs and I've taken off down to the basement. I hope the basement is just a single floor and not some huge complex. That's partially why I wanted Marie to do upstairs, so if the basement was huge, it would be my problem not hers.

When my feet touch concrete floor at the bottom of the stairs, I look around. The area is a large room with doors on all sides and a large metal door at the far end. Six heavily armed guards turn to me as I step into view at the bottom of the stairs. There is an almost comedic pause as everyone in the room tries to figure out what to do. I bound across the room leaping over a metal table and slashing down through the shoulder of one guard as gunfire opens up all around the room. I can hear someone frantically calling for help on the radio. I can feel the bullets ripping through my gut and bouncing off my adamantium sternum as I move to the next pair firing from behind a wooden desk.

I grab a hold of the desk and flip it out of the way and slash out at the necks of the two guards who were fumblingly trying to reload their assault rifles. I feel a bullet impact the side of my head and my vision fades for a moment my body heals the concussion to my brain. I turn to see two more guards on the opposite side of the room. One is reloading; I sprint towards the one firing at my chest. I feel a bullet rip through my throat and I taste blood in my mouth but I close the distance quickly. I slash the throat of the guard who shot me in the throat. In the back of my mind I smirk at the idea.

I turn to the reloading guard and he has finally managed to get the magazine in its housing. I step towards him as his hand comes forward to cock the weapon. He brings the weapon to bear as I slash upwards separating the rifle into five pieces scattered on the floor. To the man's courage he then goes for his pistol holstered on his belt but I shove my claws through his chest. I pull the claws free and he falls lifelessly to the ground.

I think quickly, one through the shoulder, two behind the desk, one in the neck, one who went for his pistol; one guard missing. There were six. I look around the room and find the sixth laying in a pool of his own blood; a bullet hole below his eye and a spray of grey brain around him. I chuckle darkly; the poor bastard must have taken a ricochet to the face. Not entirely surprising considering these idiots were firing their rifles on full auto inside a concrete basement.

I start ripping open doors, and I find the usual things: sleeping cots, munitions and arms, a massive diesel generator and two rooms that looked like they were made into makeshift cells. The cells are empty but looking inside an awful feeling rushes through me and I think this is where Stryker was going to take us. I step back from the cells and walk towards the only door I haven't opened. Stryker will be back there. I approach the metal door and claw away at the lock and yank the heavy door open. The inside of the room is metal ; weird metal plating on the walls and computer looking things all around the room. There is a distinct absence of the old grey haired asshole I am looking for. Instead I find a youngish looking man sitting in a wheelchair.

The man's eye snap to meet mine and I see hatred there. Malevolence. His scent spikes and I can feel the acidic smell of anger in the air. My head feels heavy, like its underwater and I can hear a rushing wind even though the room is still. This must the telepath Chuck warned the X-Men about. Each step I take closer to the wheelchair bound man I feel the noise in my ears getting louder. I feel certain if it wasn't for the metal in my head I would be a dribbling vegetable by now. I keep stepping closer and the noise in my ears gets louder. The look in the man spells hatred and anger. I keep stepping as I feel my body getting weaker. Each limb feels heavier and it takes more effort to step.

I fall to my knees next to his wheelchair and I look up into his eyes. I don't know what he is doing to me, but my whole body feels like it weights ten tons. I feel back about to give out and I desperately thrust out blindly with my claws. I feel bone and flesh as I sink them into his neck, but my back gives out and I flop limply forwards. I find the metal clanking sound funny as I hit the floor. As soon as I hit the floor the sound of wind in my ears dissipates and my head feel less underwater. My limbs feel weighted normally. I grab a hold of the armrest on the wheelchair and I pull myself up. I see the three puncture marks where my claws severed his spinal cord and carotid artery. Blood is pouring out the wounds I gave him and I feel slightly sad. I don't know why he did what he did.

I turn from the dead man in the wheelchair and decide make my way upstairs to find Marie. Stryker has to be here somewhere; I don't imagine Chuck to be wrong. I sprint up the stairs taking them three at a time and I barrel head first into Marie who was making her way down. She is just as caked in blood and grime as I am.

"Found Stryker" she tells me flashing a wide smile. "He's dead. Want to come see?" I would love nothing more than to piss on Stryker's corpse but we've been here too long. The cops will be coming soon.

"Nah sweetheart, we're done with him" I tell her as I pull her into my arms. Even through the smell of blood her scent is soothing and always calms me down. "Let's get out of here, eh?"

"Yeah" she says taking my hand and leading me up the stairs. She drags me through the corridors and into the lobby; stepping over dead guards as we go. She lead me out the front door of the hospital and we run across the gravel drive to the gate. Marie lets out a whoop of happiness and I can't help but laugh along with her. We're done with those pricks. No more worrying about facilities or sick twisted fucks who want to make us into puppets. We can just worry about us.

I can hear police sirens in the distance and Marie and I run up the street full pelt for the SUV. I'm sure we could play off as a couple on a late night walk, but the blood may be a little hard to explain. Marie gets to the SUV first and grins at me as she pulls herself into the driver's seat. I plant myself into the passenger seat and hand her the keys. She starts up the engine and we are on our way. As we make our way back to the holiday cabin we hired for the week Marie takes my hand in her own. We're both still high on the adrenaline rush and we need to keep it bottled until we're not going to get pulled over.

Marie pulls into the holiday grounds and drive up to the back most cabin. Marie made the poor girl at the front counter blush when she told her 'me and my husband are quite loud' as she explained we wanted a cabin furthest away from others. In reality it was so nobody would see us step out of the SUV covered in blood and tattered clothes. Marie lets go of my hand and pulls the car up in front of our cabin. She parks the car and we get out and head into our room. I follow Marie into the room and see the two dufflebags we left on the bed. We left our contact number when we hired the cabin as the mansions contact line so if in a week when our stay was up they found our 'luggage' they would call the mansion. Chuck would figure it out and find the messages Marie and I left him.

I kick the door closed behind us and pull Marie back into my arms. "We did it" I tell her gently as I nuzzle my check into her hair.

"We did it" she agrees as she leans back into my embrace.

* * *

AN: Logan's point of view on their little adventure. Also proper firearms safety is very important, make sure your fellow hired mercenaries are aware of this. More to come.

* * *

**Chapter 49: Chapter 49**

* * *

**Mutant_High_IRC :**

_Joobee has signed into chat._

Joobee: What the hell were you all jumpy about Kit?

Kp_shadowqueen: It's complicated.

Joobee: Don't 'it's complicated' me. First Roguey goes off somewhere and now you're acting funny...

Joobee: What's up?

Kp_shadowqueen: Bobby kissed me.

Joobee: WHAT?

Joobee: Seriously?

Kp_shadowqueen: Seriously. In the rec-room last night.

Joobee: And you didn't come tell me right away because?

Kp_shadowqueen: I was a little out of focus.

Joobee: A good kissing usually does that.

Joobee: But seriously isn't the Bobsicle all moony-eyed over the basement chick.

Kp_shadowqueen: Her name is Lady. And yeah, that's what I thought...

Kp_shadowqueen: Until we kissed.

Joobee: Did you ask him about it?

Kp_shadowqueen: I did this morning when I was able to think straight.

Joobee: Well don't keep me in suspense...

Kp_shadowqueen: Lady is just his friend. I got all panicky and said some stuff and he basically told me what was up with Lady.

Joobee: And?

Kp_shadowqueen: Bad stuff, brainwashing and such. Bobby doesn't think she will ever be able to do a boyfriend girlfriend thing or whatever...

Kp_shadowqueen: ...but he wants to help her. I think it's kind of sweet.

Joobee: I know you do sweetheart. And I'm happy for you. Just...

Joobee: I dunno, keep an eye on Bobby. I'm not saying he's a bad dude, just be careful.

Kp_shadowqueen: I know Jubes. I'm not some idiot who all it takes is a small kiss and then I'm suddenly full of undying love...

Joobee: Could of fooled me :P

Kp_shadowqueen: That was a crush J.

Joobee: I don't know you got pretty obsessed.

Kp_shadowqueen: I know, and told him I want to play it slow. So we can figure that stuff out.

Joobee: As long as you be careful.

Kp_shadowqueen: I am.

Joobee: OK. So how was it?

Kp_shadowqueen: How was what?

Joobee: How was the kiss stupid!

Kp_shadowqueen: A bit awkward.

Joobee: Daww Kitty had her first fumbly kiss.

Kp_shadowqueen: Shut up.

Kp_shadowqueen: It was awkward because Bobby froze my mouth a little.

Joobee: That is HILARIOUS!

Kp_shadowqueen: I'm glad you think it's funny.

Joobee: It is.

Joobee: Are you doing anything at the moment?

Kp_shadowqueen: No. Why?

Joobee: Can I come over...

Joobee: I'll bring icecream?

Kp_shadowqueen: You want to gossip more about Bobby don't you?

Joobee: Duh!

Joobee: Not every day your best friend loses her lip virginity.

Kp_shadowqueen: Can you not call it that.

Joobee: Well it's true. So can I come over?

Kp_shadowqueen: Fine. But bring some of the chocolate topping.

Joobee: Yes ma'am.

Kp_shadowqueen: And no talk about weird stuff!

Joobee: I make no promises.

_Joobee has signed out of chat._

* * *

AN: Just a short breather chapter. It would have been so easy to play the whole Bobby and Deathstrike thing, but that would have defeated her entire purpose in the story... in my mind Deathstrike represents what Logan and Marie could have ended up being. Regardless of mind control.

* * *

**Chapter 50: Chapter 50**

* * *

Behind me I heard Logan kick the door closed to the holiday cabin we hired. It's a sparse room, with a bed, some tables and a small kitchen in the corner. But it's soothing. On the bed are our two dufflebags where my diary and the note to the Professor are hidden. I'm thankful he won't have to read the diary. But we had to make certain that everyone at the mansion new why we did what we did and what to do if we failed. But in the end it didn't matter, I killed Stryker. He's dead. He's gone and will never bother us again. We're free and clear of our past, so now we can focus on ourselves; our future, our lives. Anything we want.

I feel his arms wrap around my middle and pull me back into his arms. His face nuzzles into my blood soaked hair. He doesn't seem to mind.

"We did it" he whispers to me. A smile spreads across my face. I am relieved. I didn't realize how much of a burden it was having Stryker and those bastards in the lab still looming over us. I lean back into his embrace and bask in the warmth of his body.

"We did it" I tell him. I feel his arms hug me tighter and Logan lets out a long breath. I let out a deep sigh too match his. It feels like ever since we were attacked by Lady we've been on edge. Not nervous or jittery; just expecting bad things to happen. But now Stryker is dead and he won't be able to mess with our lives from here on out and the relief is unexpected but welcome. I grab one of Logan's hands and break our cuddling to drag him to the bathroom. I want this blood and tattered leathers off of me. He gets my meaning and follows me.

I let go of Logan's hand as we step into the tiled bathroom. The ceiling fan is whiring lightly in the background. I turn to look at Logan. He's smiling at me. Not his devilish sex smile or his reassure Marie smile but his honest to god happy smile. It's a rare breed of Logan smile and I absorb it for all it is worth. I feel my lips move to match his smile and I see Logan let a claw slide downwards before he moves his hand to cut away the bullet riddled leather jacket and clothes he's wearing. I like his thinking so I let a claw free too and start cutting at the shoulders of my own leathers. I look down and see the bullet holes in the stomach and the marred leather where bullets bounced off my metal bones.

Logan gets free of his clothes faster than I do. I have no idea how he can get his boots off without having to do the stupid looking hop on one foot thing. I nearly slipped in the blood on the tiles and had to hold onto the sink to get my boots off. I flash him my most deadly scowl as he chuckles at me. My scowl just makes his chuckles become laughter and soon we're both standing in the bathroom, naked and covered in blood and laughing our asses off. I'm sure from the outside this would look bizarre or worse, but it does fit us.

"C'mere darlin'" he says to me light-heartedly as he grabs me by the hips and leads me into the shower. It's a small shower and it will be cramped with the two of us in there and I have no words to express how thankful I am the owners of these cabins skimped on shower size. Cramped quarters with Logan is never a bad thing.

"Going to be able to fit us both in here?" I ask him innocently as he steps into the shower with me. I can practically feel his sex grin from behind me as he turns to shower knobs and I am being pelted by freezing cold water. I let out a yelp and try to back up from the shower spray but Logan holds me in place as he turns the other knob to turn the spray warm. I turn in his arms and my hip grazes against his cock. "That wasn't very nice sugar" I tell him with a mock frown.

"I guess the C stand's for cold, eh?" he says to me with a wide smirk. "Honest mistake" he tells me. The water is becoming warm and I can see the red pool at our feet as the blood begins to wash off. Logan reaches over my head awkwardly to get the bottle of body wash and squeezes a large helping into his hand. "I'll do you first sweetheart" he whispers huskily into my ear. I feel a shiver rocket up my spine at his innuendo and from Logan's reaction that was the desired result.

Logan takes his hand filled with body wash and begins lathering it over my back and shoulders. His other hand gets in on the action and they begin working in tandem to create a thick lather over my back. Logan slowly moves from by back to my belly and his calloused hands keep working to scrub the blood free from my body. I can't keep idle and I reach back grab the body was bottle and take a large helping myself. I start working a soapy lather onto Logan's chest and stomach. My fingers trace along the lines of his muscles where ever I can reach them. I let out a quiet gasp as Logan's fingers work their way up to my breasts and begin soaping them up. His hands are working my breasts harder than is needed to get them clean but I am not complaining.

Logan's hands move on to my neck and face, slowly scrubbing away the blood. I close my eyes as he runs his hands over them to get my face clean. I feel relaxed as his fingers gently massage the soap into my temples. My own hands drop away from Logan as I just relax and feel his caress. Eventually his hands drop away and he leans me back into the shower spray, letting the warm water wash the bloody soap from my face and torso. Logan takes another handful of body wash and begins working on my legs. He spends quite a long time making sure my ass is clean and dragging quiet moans of from me. Eventually his hands move on and he gently strokes through my curls between my thighs. I let out a sharp gasp as he rubs his palm up and down against my mound.

I feel the hardness of his cock press into my hip as he straightens up and leans me under the warm spray once again. I feel the soapy suds wash down my legs as Logan reaches for the shampoo. Logan takes a large dollop of shampoo and begins working it into my hair. He's not used to working with longer hair and he does a pretty poor job, but I don't say anything as the feel of his fingers massaging my scalp relaxes my whole body.

Eventually his massage comes to an end and I lean back into the running water. With a bit of work from Logan the shampoo makes a pink trail down my body and down the shower drain. Next time we do something like this I must remember to wear my hair up under a hat or something. I look Logan in the eye and he seems satisfied with the lack of blood in my hair. He goes for the body wash again but I snatch it out of his hands. I put one hand on his shoulder and I turn us around so he is under the shower. I feel the chill creep through me but I'm not bothered; I've got a job to do.

I measure out a large amount of body wash and begin lathering Logan up. I work my fingers into his chest and stomach. I tease gently along his thighs and down his legs. I work the soap over his ass and my fingers leave red marks as they drag over the flesh. I turn Logan on the spot and let my fingers trace down the muscles on his back lathering soap as they go. Finally I reach around Logan's hips and wrap my fingers around his throbbing cock. I always did like my dessert last. I hear Logan let out a growl as I playfully stroke him a few times as I create a soapy lather.

"All done" I say innocently as I release his cock and turn him back to me. Logan raises an eyebrow at me and a small smirk spreads across his face. He steps back into the running water and lets the blood wash free from his body. He grabs the shampoo bottle and squeezes some into his palm.

"I'll take care of this bit..." he says evenly. "...Unless you have a step ladder handy". I pout up at him as his smirk becomes a broad grin. He quickly lathers up the shampoo into his hair and then rinses equally fast. I wonder if it's that easy for all shorthaired people to shampoo their hair. I steps closer to me and I feel his cock brush against my belly once again.

"All done are we?" I ask smoothly.

"Not yet. We just got clean" he says as he leans in and kisses my ear. "Now let's get a little dirty". All I can do is nod as his hands come up to my shoulders. His tongue traces the shell of my ear and I let out a light gasp at the feeling. In a flash Logan spins me around so my back is pressed against the cold tiles. One of his hands move to the shower head and twists it until its spraying over my shoulders and chest.

Logan presses himself against me and his lips latch themselves to mine. I close my eyes as I feel his hands roam down by body. I wrap my arms around his neck and hold on tight. Our tongues do duel in our mouths as we kiss. I can't smell the scent of blood anymore, just Logan's warm inviting scent and the combined smell of our arousal. I break the kiss and lean my forehead against his.

"No more foreplay" I whisper hoarsely. "Please sugar" I beg him quietly. He lets out a quiet murmur of approval and one of his hands wrap around the back of my thigh. He raises my thigh up around his hip and I balance on my other leg. I tighten my grip around his neck his other hand wraps around his cock and lines himself up with my wet entrance.

"Love you darlin'" he whispers to me as his hips thrust hard forward impaling me on his cock. I let out a low groan at finally having him inside of me. Logan lets out a shaky breath across my face. His forehead remains presses against mine as he rocks his hips back and thrusts again. I can already feel my pleasure building as I let out a short cry. Logan begins thrusting his hips back and forth in an even pace. Every thrust his pelvis grinds gently against my clitoris and makes me let out a sharp moan. I can hear Logan's loud pants and short grunts as his warm breath washes over my face. I look into his eyes and his pierce deeply into my own.

We're just staring at each other has he pumps his cock deep into me over and over. On any other day this steady pace wouldn't do it for us, but today we're tired and a relaxing fuck in the shower is what we need. His hips keep pumping and his cock spears deep into my wet center. Each graze of his pelvis on my throbbing clitoris sends a jolt of pleasure up my spine. I'm close. His hips keep rocking back and forth and we don't break eye contact. The intensity of our locked eyes mesmerizes me. I let out a loud cry as Logan slips a rough thrust into the mix. The bubble of pleasure is building and is about to burst forth. He keeps his steady pace of thrusts going and his groans of pleasure echo about the bathroom. His breath is warm on my face as our eyes remain locked into each other's. Logan draws back and lets forth a primal thrust that pounds me into the tile wall. I feel my foot leave the ground as I slide up the wall.

A loud cry tears out of me as my pleasure burst free. My toes curl and my back tries to arch off the wall. Logan's body remains presses against me and the shower spray is warm against my skin. I feel the waves of pleasure rock through me and I can hear I'm letting out a loud whine. Our eye contact remains unbroken and I can feel his hips pumping faster still. Logan is letting our groans and grunts louder now. He is close. His pumping hips keep me on edge and I feel tingles of pleasure rock through me with each pump. Logan lets out a sharp groan and he thrusts his cock hard and deep into me one last time. I can feel Logan's warm completion running through me as his cock pulses and throbs with his climax. I stare into his hazel eyes as he pants loudly. I can't tell if it is sweat dripping from his eyelashes or water from the shower.

The waves of pleasure finally roll back and Logan lets go of his grip on my thigh. I lower my foot shakily to the floor and Logan pulls back slowly. I gasp as I feel his cock slip free of my center. We finally break eye contact and I see Logan giving me his warm honest to god smile.

"Good?" he asks me as he straightens the showerhead.

"Yeah" I answer as I let the shower spray wash away Logan's warm fluid seeping between my thighs. I smile at him and I grab his hand as he steps back out of the shower. "Sleep now or talk?" I ask.

"Sleep. Definitely sleep" he answers with a grin as he grabs a pair of towels and hands one to me. We dry off and I lead the way into the main room. I grab both duffelbags and lob them into the corner. I plan on sleeping until late afternoon tomorrow. Then maybe Logan and I can go for a meal or something. Sounds like a normal couple activity. Logan throws off the bed covers and flops himself down into the bed. I shake my head and chuckle at his graceless method of lying down. I crawl more subdued onto the bed and rest my head down on Logan's warm chest. He shakes the cover free and pulls it over us. He arms wrap around me as I feel him relax into the mattress.

"Love you Marie" he says sleepily.

"Love you too sugar" I say nuzzling my face into his chest. "Head out for dinner tomorrow?" I ask quietly before we fall asleep.

"Sound's good darlin'" he murmurs lazily. "Somewhere nice".

"Yeah" I agree. "Somewhere with caramel ice cream".

"And steak" he adds as I feel my eyes get heavy.

"It's a date" I mutter quietly as I drift into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

AN: Slow build up in this chapter I probably should've skipped over...really heavy handed on the symbolism I hear you cry. Why yes, it was. For the record I have never actually had long hair, and I have a feeling it's a pain in the ass to clean. I've been told 'we just killed our worst enemy sex' is the best sex. More to come.

* * *

**Chapter 51: Chapter 51**

* * *

**Journal of C.F. Xavier  
** _2_ _nd_ _November 2000_

They are back, finally. Rogue and Logan called me from Texas two days ago to let me know they we're OK and on their way back. The immense relief I felt at hearing of Stryker's end surprised me. I do not recall ever being perfectly content with the death of anyone. But hearing of William Stryker's demise simply calmed me. The fear that he would burst into the school to reclaim Lady and kill or capture any of my students has haunted my dreams of late. But now I can turn my focus and worries to more long term matters such as mutant advocacy and maintaining the student's education.

When the feral couple returned there was quite a stir. I am told Scott was so relieved to see them safe he momentarily forgot about the hours he has spent in the hangar fixing the Blackbird. Once his relief washed away he remembered his anger and was apparently quite explicit towards Logan. Jean tells me when Logan informed him it was Rogue who sabotaged the Blackbird the look on Scott's face was 'priceless'. I do not doubt it. Eventually Logan and Rogue followed by the X-Men trailed their way into my office and after some truly half-hearted apologies from the ferals and some chastisement on our behalf they told us their tale.

Rogue told us of the abandoned hospital and how she dispatched Stryker. I was surprised to see the same relief wash over the faces around the room; all except for Ororo who looked her usually serene self. Logan then told us of the telepath he was forced to kill. I don't know what kind of telepathy Logan was referring to, but the young wheelchair bound man must have been powerful. I admit I felt a large amount of regret for the telepath. The symmetry between him and I makes me feel empathetic to his death. The sensations Logan described to me, slowly getting weaker, noise in his ears and the sensation of being submerged in water. I have no idea what sort of ability that telepath was exhibiting. He must have been a telepath of some kind but Logan's adamantium skull lessened or altered the effect. I can only speculate. Logan looked rather miserable at telling how he killed the telepath. I was surprised to hear Jean reassuring him long before even I or Rogue could open our mouths.

Once the sordid details had been explained to us I enquired as to why it took so long for the duo to return. I was amused to see Rogue sheepishly admit they took a longer way back, stopping to see sights or have a meal. I hid my amusement well. After all they did keep me up with worry for the past few nights. I must say the couple does look more relaxed. They we're growing comfortable here at the mansion, but I always had a vague sense they expected something horrible to happen at any moment. I expected they would eventually get past these expectations, but it would seem that no longer having Stryker as hanging overhead has lightened their load. They are still protective of each other, and their possessiveness is plain to see to anyone looking closely. But they do have a sense of freedom and ease about them. Once the X-Men said their piece and pleasantries and went off to continue with the day's activities; the three of us discussed future therapy sessions. Both Logan and Rogue were receptive to future sessions and that does reassure me. I was worried they would no longer consider the trauma's the experienced or issues they may be dealing with important after Stryker was gone. We made some non-specific plans for future sessions and the duo left me to my grading test papers. I have never liked the American fondness for tests, but it certainly keeps me busy.

In other news Lady is continuing to make great improvements. She is able to talk to Jean now and her vocabulary and syntax is improving immensely. I now believe English is not her native language so her occasionally choppy sentences or incorrect word usage that I previously noted may be a natural occurrence for her. She continues to have no memories beyond being held prisoner, and then being in the mental hospital before she came here to the mansion. Robert has continued to visit her regularly and the pairs interactions seem a good calming influence on Lady. I believe that within the week she will feel comfortable to return to the top floors and her room. I think even though Jean told her we believe she is no danger anymore she still fears losing control once again. That is an issue only time can deal with sadly. I still wish she would be willing to talk to me. The other day I profusely apologised to her for intruding in her mind. She merely looked at me with confusion and I explained once again of my gifts. She remained silent.

I wish I had not entered the young woman's mind, and even though I felt I had no choice it is still a violation of my own code of ethics. When I spoke to Jean initially she attempted to reassure me but in the end she agreed that I did break our ethical ideals. I am glad she feels comfortable to call me out when I make errors. The idea that I am infallible seems to permeate the halls of this mansion, but it is soothing to know Jean will point me right if I steer wrong. Jean's advice was to make amends and use the guilt I feel as a marker in my mind. And use this marker to remind myself how awful I will feel each time I consider entering a person's mind, regardless of reason. I sometimes wonder if Jean would have made a good psychologist. I fear she became a doctor of medicine to contribute more here at the mansion. I suppose the same can be said for Scott and Ororo. Perhaps that is a stone best left unturned for now.

Scott spoke to me at dinner (where Logan and Rogue absence was noted with some humour) about his plans to locate the rest of the mutant testing facilities we found in the Pentagon files. I suggested when we do go to those facilities perhaps Logan and Rogue would wish to come. He seemed to accept the idea but asked for ideas to make them more 'team players'. I told him perhaps that will come on its own if they are a part of a team. He then continued explaining how a quick peek by Katherine into a FBI field office in Wyoming may lead us to the location on one facility. I have high hopes that Scott's investigation will turn up a facility. Of course this will mean more traumatised mutants who will need our help and care to reintegrate them into the world. I expect we will be very busy over soon.

* * *

AN: A bit of an update on the goings on around the mansion.  
\- OK, so here's whats happening. The next chapter is going to be the final chapter and then an epilogue chapter (already written). The issue I'm working around is like a lot of amateur writers I don't know when to end something. So I think I will put up the final chapter and then spend a little while going back and tidying up the grammar and syntax of the rest of the story. I'll mark the story as complete. But I have a few general idea's where the next arc could focus on, and if some people feel it's worth reading I'll draw out a plan and get to writing. I don't really want to do an epilogue if I'm continuing writing. It somewhat limits me and reeks of predetermined destiny issues. So if there isn't really a response to keep at it I'll put up the epilogue and we'll call it a day.  
\- Either way, hope you've had fun reading.

* * *

**Chapter 52: Chapter 52**

* * *

Logan and I have just finished up having a talk with the Professor and the X-Men and are now heading up to our room. Logan falls into step beside me and we walk leisurely to the teacher's wing. There are a few students milling about while classes are running. A few of the kids give me and Logan a smile or nod as they pass us. I return the sentiments but Logan remains stoic as ever. The poor kids are probably terrified of him. The big bad Wolverine I've overhead some of the kids call him. It does fit him from a certain point of view. To them all they see is a hard-ass stone faced grouch. Me I get to see his true face; his various smiles, his warm laughter and his dry sarcastic wit. It makes me happy to know I am the only one who truly sees Logan as he is under the mask of Wolverine.

Each of the X-Men all see something different. Scott sees a loose cannon and a wild man. Jean sees the tortured and broken man. Ororo sees a romantic. Even the Professor sees Logan as his old friend. Each of their points of view has some truth to them, but they only make up a part of the whole. I feel privileged to be the only one to know Logan's truest self. He too knows my truest self. Most around the mansion see the sassy young woman with a southern lilt in her voice. Logan has seen and accepts the feral in me. The little bit of darkness in me that I keep back only for him. It comes out when we make love, or when we fight and train and only he sees it. Whether that darkness was always mine, or if those pricks at the lab gave it to me; it doesn't matter. I can't change it. I could just be mirroring Logan's own darkness from when he imprinted on me; but that all means nothing now. It's there, and I wouldn't change it. It brings me closer to him.

We slowly make our way up the stairs to the top floor of the teacher's wing. I can still hear lessons going on in the distance and I wonder idly how the girls are doing. I guess I owe Kitty and Jube's an explanation as to where I and Logan disappeared to. I'm pretty sure the Professor kept it between him and the team. They've been good friends and it was good fun hanging out with them, so I feel I should tell them. I'll get around to it, but for now Logan and I want to go to our room. I step forward and open the door. Logan steps through after me and dumps our dufflebags on the chair in the corner. I gently close the door and loud click sounds through the room as it locks shut.

"So" I begin. "What do you want to do today?" He turns as he removes his leather jacket.

"Take it easy? A day in bed maybe?" he suggests as he throws the jacket over the back of the chair. I smile at him as he leers at me his devilish grin. I sometimes thing he could almost pass for classically charming if it wasn't for the animalistic part of him. But classically charming is for air-headed simpering idiots in films. I want a proper man; and currently there is one staring at me like I am a sex goddess come to earth. I feel a warm flush run through me and the burning wetness at my core as he kicks his boots off and steps towards me.

"All day in bed sugar?" I tease. "No breaks?" He just smirks at me as he keeps stepping closer. I feel like prey being stalked by a predator only I have no desire not to be caught. He steps up to me and wraps his arms around my shoulder and presses us together.

"All day" he confirms. "I want to smell us in the room again" he says. Now that I think about it I can barely smell our scents in the room. Logan nuzzles his face into my cheek and I let out a low murmur of approval.

"What about food?" I ask him quietly as he kisses my neck. I let out a low gasp as he nips his teeth along my hammering pulse point.

"Don't need food. Just you" he mumbles into my neck as he laves his warm tongue along the bite to soothe the skin.

"Mhm" I mutter. "Love you". I feel his lips curl into a smile against my neck and the scent of his lust spikes sharply in the room.

"Love you too darlin'" he whispers pulling his head back to look me in the eye. "Now lets get undressed before I claw those clothes off of you!" I feel my knees wobble at the thought of his claws tearing my clothes from my body and file away that idea for another day. Today I just want to feel loved and love him back. His arms pull free and Logan steps back and begins removing his shirt. I'd love nothing more than to stay put and watch my own private strip-show but the desire to get naked with him is overwhelming. I begin tugging my long sleeve shirt free of my jeans and I pull it over my head. I watch as Logan's eyes snap to my bra-encased breasts as I throw my shirt into the corner. Logan beings working on his belt and jean zipper as I unhook my bra and let it fall to the floor.

I watch as Logan's hands fumble for a moment as his eyes lock onto my bared breasts. I smirk a little as I begin working on my own jeans. Logan finally gets his hands working correctly and he lowers his zipper and slides his jeans down his legs. Logan gets his revenge and smirks back at me as my hands become like stone as my eyes lock onto his throbbing cock. Thank god for men who go without boxers. I see Logan's devilish smirk and decide to tease him a little. I poke the tip of my tongue out and slowly wet my lips as I stare unashamed at his hard manhood. I hear Logan let out a low groan in the back of his throat and I win back my smirk. I look into his eyes and see realisation there as he clicks onto my little tease. My hands go back to my jeans and I quickly unbutton and unzip them. I turn my back to Logan and grip my jeans by the waistline and slowly peel them down my legs along with my panties. I bend all the way forward as I lower the jeans affording Logan a good view of my wet folds. Logan lets out a pained groan from behind me and I step slowly out of my jeans.

"Sweetheart, you're killin' me" he says desperately as I turn back to him.

"That's the idea baby" I tell him teasingly as he steps towards me. Once again I feel like his prey. But this time I move towards him meeting him halfway. His arms wrap tight around my hips and his hands rest comfortingly on my ass. My breasts tingle as they press flat against his muscled chest and we none to gently press our lips together. I giggle slightly as we miss and knock our foreheads together and a dull metal thump sounds throughout the room. He just grins quickly as he presses his lips against mine. I can feel his weeping cock press flat against my belly. Our lips find our rhythm and Logan takes the backseat playing lips to my tongue. I probe deep into his mouth, tracing my tongue against his sharp canines.

Our kiss deepens as I snake my hand between our bodies. Logan tilts his hips back to give my hand room as I reach down and wrap my fingers tightly around his cock. He lets out a dull groan as I start stroking him gently. I feel his fingers dig deeply into the flesh of my ass as he begins kneading. I let out a muffled matching gasp as his hands work my ass. I pull back my lips from his and look into Logan's face. His lips are slightly swollen and wet from our kiss. His eyes are glazed over and his breath catches each time I pump his cock.

"Let's go to bed sugar" I whisper huskily to him as a warm smile spreads across my face. Logan lets out a sound of approval as he removes his hands from my ass and turns me on the spot. He is stepping closer pushing me towards the bed. I release his cock as I let myself fall back into the soft mattress. I shuffle up the bed and rest my head on the pillows. He knees down at the foot of the bed and his devilish sex grin spreads across his face.

"Going to make me beg sugaaar?" I ask seductively looking him in the eye. He just smirks at me and crawls his way up the bed and hovers over my body. I can feel his cock prodding against my thigh and his breath wash over my neck.

"Never make you beg Marie" he whispers honestly. I let out a giggle.

"Except all those times you made me beg" I point out. He lets out a slow chuckle and kisses my cheek lightly.

"'Cept all those times" he agrees. He lowers his lips again to kiss me lightly on the tip of my nose. "What can I say? You're just so cute when you're beggin' me" he whispers deeply and I feel my hips arch up at his words. God I must really be a masochist, I can't help but get all hot and bothered whenever he teases me.

"Well, then. Please fuck my brains out Mr Logan" I whisper sexily into his ear. Logan's breath catches and I hear a deep rumbling growl come from his chest. I smile at the success of my line. "Fuck me so hard even my healing won't fix my limp!" I beg him barely masking the desperation I feel.

"Anythin' for my Marie" he whispers gently into my ear as he lowers his body to mine. I feel his cockhead slide up my thigh leaving a damp trail in its wake. My thighs fall open to cradle his hips and I wrap my arms around his neck. I feel Logan lining himself up with my wet center and I let out a loud gasp when his cockhead touches my folds.

"Please Logan!" I beg again. I open my mouth to beg some more but all that comes out is a loud cry as he spears his cock deep into my core. "Yes" I moan loudly. I feel complete. I feel full. Logan lets out a low growl as he positions his hands either side of my head for better leverage. I wrap thighs around his hips tighter and cross my ankles beneath his ass. Logan presses his lips against mine and this time he takes the initiative and he is tongue to my lips as his tongue searches deep into my mouth swirling against my own.

Logan rocks his hips back and then pounds forward with such intensity I feel my eyes flutter slightly as I let out a muffled cry to match his groan. Logan sets the pace as he rocks back and then pounds his cock deep into my channel wrenching a pleasured cry from me. Soon we can't concentrate on kissing and fucking and we just keep our lips pressed together as he fucks his cock deep into me over and over. Quickly the room is filled with sounds and smells of our love-making. I begged for him to fuck my brains out and the romantic bastard makes love to me. Oh boy am I going to get my revenge for this one; preferably something that involves me getting fucked hard against a wall or something.

Logan nips gently at my lower lip as he continues pumping his hips. I get my thighs in on the action and with my legs locked around him I pull him into me increasing the force of each thrust. My loud cries have become sporadic screams punctuated by desperate gasps for air. Logan is letting out grunts and moans with each forward thrust. The bubble of pleasure in my center is building fast and I can feel it tightening in my core. My blood is pounding in my ears and I focus my eyes onto Logan's. His are glazed over and unfocused but they stare right back into mine.

If this were us making love as we would normally this would be where Logan would slow up to kiss the living daylights out of me, but instead he speeds up his thrusts. I guess I am getting the hard fuck I ordered; might have to put a pin in that revenge idea yet. I run my fingers through the back of Logan's sweat damp hair and I can see beads of sweat forming at his temple.

Logan lets out a loud grunt as he pounds is cock into me and I can feel the bubble of pressure getting close to bursting. I can hear Logan desperately saying something over and over to me but I can't focus enough to understand. I'm responding with unintelligible words begging him to keep going. I feel his cock thrust deep once more and I'm floating. I let out a desperate scream and my toes curl. My back arches up lifting Logan slightly as he continues pumping his cock into me. The pleasure is washing over me and I can feel the shocks of bliss rock up my spine with each thrust of his hips. I feel my lungs burn with lack of air as my scream of pleasure echoes loudly off the walls. I can hear Logan's grunts of pleasure get louder and louder as he desperately pumps his hips in search of his climax.

My eyes return to focus and my orgasm finishes washing over me as Logan lets out a desperate howl of pleasure and he thrusts his cock deep into me one final time. His hips still and I can feel the warmth of his seed fill me from within. For the first time in my remembered life I wish I could get pregnant and have his babies. Logan's whole body slumps down on top of mine as his muscles spasm occasionally. I can feel his cock twitching and throbbing deep within me and Logan lets out a low guttural groan as his climax finishes. I lower my arms from his neck and hold him too me. I feel a tingle in my breasts where my sensitized nipples are pressed against his chest. I unhook my ankles and let my thighs go limp and fall to the sides of Logan's hips.

His eyes come into focus and look deeply into mine and I feel his lips start moving softly against my own. I return the kiss as our tongues lightly tease each other. I feel my heartbeat slowing and in Logan's chest I can feel his doing the same. Logan shifts his hips and I can feel his softening cock slip from my warm center leaving a trail of fluid as it goes. Logan breaks the kiss and with a loud groan rolls himself onto his back and I let out a loud squeal as he flips me along with him. I shuffle down slightly and rest my cheek over his heart and listen to the still rapid beating. Between my legs I can feel the proof of Logan's climax slowly seep downwards and my thoughts return to our possible babies.

"You ever think about having kids" I ask him quietly. I feel his roving hands still for a moment as they trace up and down my spine.

"Yeah, sometimes" he admits slowly. "Why?"

"Just got to thinking I guess" I tell him. Logan lets out one of his deep hearty chuckles.

"Pretty interesting time to be thinkin' sweetheart" he says with amusement heavy in his voice. I tilt my head up and look him in the eye.

"Kind of fits with the theme though" I say with a giggle. "But seriously? We have no bad guys after us. We've got a home and some friends... so why not think about kids?"

"We still got stuff to work on darlin'" he says warmly as his hands continue stroking me. I see his sweet smile looking down at me.

"I know, I don't mean right this second" I say hurriedly. "Just, something I want one day".

"Me too Marie" he says as he leans up to kiss my forehead. "Jean did say she could remove the birth control plugs if we wanted".

"Maybe I'll talk to her about it tomorrow" I whisper quietly. "Something to think about".

"Yeah" he says. "But you're right. We have got a home and no bad guys after us."

"A home" I say happily. "I bet those pricks in the lab would never have expected that". I nuzzle my face into his chest and smile.

"Mhm" he agrees lazily as the need for sleep begins to overcome him. "So how many little ones do you want to fill this place up with?" he asks.

"Dunno" I say honestly as I feel my eyes getting heavier. "Some... lots maybe" I say with a chuckle.

"We best get loads of practice then darlin'" he says sleepily as he wraps his arms comfortingly around me.

"You bet sugar" I mumble quietly as I close my eyes and fall gently into a sleep filled with dreams of hazel eyes babies and little feral toddlers.

* * *

Intermission.


End file.
